By Jim Dower: Once beaten Allan Green (29-1, 20 KO’s) takes a huge step up in class next month in his Super Six tournament fight against WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KO’s) when the two fighters meet in the stage 3 part of the tournament at the Oracle Arena, in Oakland, California. Green, 30, has had the bad luck of being matched against Ward, who is now looking like the best fighter in the tournament after his 11 round technical decision win over Mikkel Kessler last November, in his home arena. Green is replacing Jermain Taylor after he had to pull out of the tournament following a particularly nasty 12th round knockout loss to the hard hitting Arthur Abraham last October.
Green is obviously very pleased to get the opportunity to display his talent in front of worldwide audience, but he could end up looking really bad if Ward dominates Green like some people think he will. Green’s problem is despite his high ranking of #2 WBO, #4 WBA, #4 WBC, he really hasn’t faced too many high level fighters. In fact, Green has fought two decent fighters during his career – Edison Miranda and Tarvis Simms – and lost the fight to Miranda by a 10 round decision in 2007 and looked very unimpressive in his 10 round decision over Simms last October.
This may not mean anything other than to highlight the fact that Green hasn’t done well when matched against middle of the road top contenders. On June 19th, Green could be facing – depending on whom you ask – one of the very best super middleweights in the division, and he may find himself unable to make that leap in competition successfully. It would have been better had Green at least beaten the likes of Miranda before getting into the tournament, like Ward did.
In May 2009, Ward totally dominated Miranda, beating him by a 12 round unanimous decision in a hopelessly one-sided fight. Just in comparing how Ward and Green did in their fights against a common opponent, it’s hard to give Green any chance against Ward next month. But when you add in the large pro-Ward crowd at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, this fight has mismatch written all over it.
I would like to be proven wrong, as I’m hoping Green is able to step it up a gear and show something that he’s never been able to show against a top tier fighter, but I just don’t think it will happen. Green looks sensational against 2nd tier opposition, but just plain mediocre against top level fighters up to this point. Maybe that’s nothing, but I think it’s a good sign that Green will be out of his class against Ward.
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