AFTER Danny Green destroyed all-time great Roy Jones jnr in Sydney on Wednesday night, a blueprint is being drawn up for the IBO world cruiserweight champion – the "it" man of Australian sport – to fight on the same night up to six contestants of the pay television series The Contender.
The architects of the concept are Green's trainer Angelo Hyder and his manager Justin Manolikos. The plan is consistent with the belief of Green Machine Promotions – the world champion's company – that boxing needs to work harder to attract crowds in light of the threat posed by cage fighting.
"We are looking at signing up fighters from The Contender [Foxtel] series so Danny can fight them on the one night," Hyder told The Sun-Herald.
"Four, five or six of them, it doesn't matter. They can take it in turns to fight a round each, two rounds each, or whatever they want ... he'll fight them over a distance of 12 rounds ... and it would be exciting and it'd be challenging.
"It'd be great television and the ratings would rocket through the roof. The idea of one man fighting up to six different opponents, one after the other, is unique."
Hyder said should the state boxing federations not sanction the event, the promoters would look at staging it in Indonesia, Fiji or even New Zealand.
New Zealand's world-ranked fighter Daniel McKinnon, Russian-born Victor Oganov, Australian middleweight champion Junior Talipeau and former world title contender and Jones jnr's sparring partner Nader Hamdan are among the contestants on the reality TV show.
After needing just 122 seconds to stop Jones jnr in Sydney, Hyder revealed there was the possibility of Green fighting former undisputed world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, aged 47.
Hyder, one of Australian boxing's best-connected people to the sport's big time, said he was ready for critics to condemn the fight as lacking credibility.
"But it's a fight that will capture the public's attention," he said. "Not just the boxing public but the entire public ... it would be an event, and people would line up to watch it. Holyfield fought for the WBA heavyweight title against Nikolay Valuev 12 months ago and lost on points. It was a tough fight."
While Green, a three-time world champion, intends to continue to prove himself against the best in the game, which would therefore include him boxing against the likes of undefeated American light-heavyweight Chad Dawson and perhaps even Britain's WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, Hyder said his fighter's desire to shock and inspire could open a new and exciting door for Australian boxing.
"Boxing needed a hero like Danny to bring it back to the people," Hyder said.
Green has become Australia's version of the American Depression era fighter James J. Braddock, who was portrayed by Russell Crowe in the movie Cinderella Man. The Perth fighter, given no chance to defeat Jones, is now considered an example that nothing is impossible.
Socceroo Tim Cahill said he was using Green's feat as inspiration as he tries to haul his English Premier League side Everton through an injury crisis.
Wednesday's Europa League triumph at AEK Athens was soured by a number of injuries, leaving Everton with just seven fully fit senior outfield players for this weekend's clash with Tottenham.
"What we have is that extra spirit and hunger, and I think we have shown what we can do when people write us off. In that respect, I was inspired by Danny Green," Cahill told The Daily Mirror. "They said he had no chance against Roy Jones jnr, but that's the Aussie spirit. I texted him before his fight and I got a text back straight after we beat AEK, congratulating us on the spirit we showed. I know I was definitely inspired by Danny and I think Everton showed a bit of that spirit, too."
Source: smh.com.au
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