Kent Green 'I Knocked Cassius Clay Out'

[Senor Pepe']

'Slim' Kent Green,,,,,,,

A hard-punching, 'Slim' 6' 4" tall Light-Heavyweight.

One of Chicago's top amateur boxers in the late-1950's.

At age 17 1/2, on February 26, 1957 -
At the 1957 Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament, in the Quarter-Finals,
Kent Green stopped a young Cassius Clay in '2' Rounds.

After a very successful amateur career, at age 20, turns professional in September 1959.

Despite the 6' 4" tall-frame, 'Slim' Green still campaigned as Light-Heavyweight.

Fighting primarily '4-Round' and '6-Round' Preliminary bouts at the Chicago Stadium
Wednesday Night fight cards.

'Slim' Green bangs away '12' straight wins, including '7' Knockouts.

Note; Records indicate some missing bouts off of Kent Green's boxing record,
while fighting at the Marigold Gardens, in the Northside of Chicago.

[johnmaff36]

Theres a good article about this in a Ring magazine issue from the early 70s my dad has. I'll try dig it out.

[John Galt]

Yea, but Ali had just turned 15 in January. A guy 17 and a half years old has a big advantage over a kid who had only been 15 for a month. It's a nice story, but when one gets into the details, it's not so impressive.

We have a guy who had a long amateur career who comes into our gym, who beat Evander Holyfield when he was 14 or 15. They were both about 120-25 at the time. He still tells his story too.

[Senor Pepe']

A very good early win for 'Slim' Kent Green,,,,,,,

Wednesday Night - February 3, 1960

In Chicago Stadium, a '4-Round' Preliminary bout

'Two' Young Light-Heavyweight Amateur Stars Meet.

'Slim' Kent Green (Illinois)... 2-0-0 (1 KO).....{Age 20...Height 6' 4"...Weight; 178 lbs.}
vs.
'Atom' Amos Johnson (Ohio)... 2-0-1 (1 KO)..{Age 21...Height 6' 1"...Weight; 180 lbs.}

Kent Green wins a 'close' hard-fought (W Dec 4) Decision over southpaw Amos Johnson.
The two young scrappers go at it, with a non-stop toe-to-toe
mini war. Kent Green lands the sharper punches in the 4th and final round, to win
a Unanimous Decision (2-1-1 / 3-1-0 / 2-1-1) on the Scorecards.

The California-born, Ohio-resident -Amos Johnson, was the 1959 Pan Am Games
Light-Heavyweight Gold Medal Winner (held in Chicago, September 1959).

Amos Johnson, like Kent Green, has an amateur win over Cassius Clay.

[Senor Pepe']

Originally Posted by John Galt

Yea, but Ali had just turned 15 in January. A guy 17 and a half years old has a big advantage over a kid who had only been 15 for a month. It's a nice story, but when one gets into the details, it's not so impressive.

We have a guy who had a long amateur career who comes into our gym, who beat Evander Holyfield when he was 14 or 15. They were both about 120-25 at the time. He still tells his story too.

I would agree somewhat,,,,,,,but it is not like Cassius Clay was some young upstart amateur,,,, he was a young seasoned amateur.

By the way, Kent Green did not win the 1957 Golden Gloves Tournament.

Another 17 1/2 year-old did,,,,,,,,,his name,,,,,,,,Ernest 'Ernie' Terrell.

The kids in the tournament called him 'Terrell the Gazelle'.

Kent Green was nicknamed 'Clark Kent'.

And Cassius Clay was called, 'Cry Baby Clay'

[Senor Pepe']

1957 Chicago Golden Gloves

'Slim' Kent Green and Ernest 'Ernie Terrell, both from Chicago were the favored
boxers in the Light-Heavyweight Division.

Both boxers, were 17 1/2 years of age,, and had a little more experience than the other
contestants. Also, both had faced tougher competition in Chicago city-based tournaments,
than some of the other non-regional Champions.

In the Quarter-Finals, Kent Green (Chicago) faced-off against a 15 year-old from
(Louisville, Kentucky), the 'whippet-like' Cassius Clay.

In Round 1, Kent Green, the more powerful boxer, targeted the faster Cassius Clay
like a Lion hunting down a Jaguar. While the young Clay snapped off harmless jabs,
the older Green was sending hard punches down 'Broadway'. Cassius used his quick feet,
to dance himself out of trouble, but was not able to mount any sustained offense.

In Round 2, Green agained pressed forward, and tried to trap the fleet-footed dancer
along the ropes. After some light and harmless exchanges, Green was finally able to get
Cassius to stay stationary, and trade some hard punches. Cassius did bounce a couple of
combinations on Green, but Kent walked through the punches, and unloaded with hard
shots to Clay's head.

A stunned Cassius fell into the ropes, where 'Slim' dropped down the hammer as
Cassius fell.

Kent Green by Knockout (KO 2).

[frankenfrank]

Originally Posted by Senor Pepe'

A very good early win for 'Slim' Kent Green,,,,,,,

Wednesday Night - February 3, 1960

In Chicago Stadium, a '4-Round' Preliminary bout

'Two' Young Light-Heavyweight Amateur Stars Meet.

'Slim' Kent Green (Illinois)... 2-0-0 (1 KO).....{Age 20...Height 6' 4"...Weight; 178 lbs.}
vs.
'Atom' Amos Johnson (Ohio)... 2-0-1 (1 KO)..{Age 21...Height 6' 1"...Weight; 180 lbs.}

Kent Green wins a 'close' hard-fought (W Dec 4) Decision over southpaw Amos Johnson.
The two young scrappers go at it, with a non-stop toe-to-toe
mini war. Kent Green lands the sharper punches in the 4th and final round, to win
a Unanimous Decision (2-1-1 / 3-1-0 / 2-1-1) on the Scorecards.

The California-born, Ohio-resident -Amos Johnson, was the 1959 Pan Am Games
Light-Heavyweight Gold Medal Winner (held in Chicago, September 1959).

Amos Johnson, like Kent Green, has an amateur win over Cassius Clay.

Didn't Jimmy Ellis also have n amateur win over Cautious Play ?

[Ali_]

Originally Posted by Senor Pepe'

I would agree somewhat,,,,,,,but it is not like Cassius Clay was some young upstart amateur,,,, he was a young seasoned amateur.

By the way, Kent Green did not win the 1957 Golden Gloves Tournament.

Another 17 1/2 year-old did,,,,,,,,,his name,,,,,,,,Ernest 'Ernie' Terrell.

The kids in the tournament called him 'Terrell the Gazelle'.

Kent Green was nicknamed 'Clark Kent'.

And Cassius Clay was called, 'Cry Baby Clay'

Ali is the Greatest Boxer of All Times.
Since you brought up this Kent Green guy, where is he now?

[frankenfrank]

Originally Posted by Ali_

Ali is the Greatest Boxer of All Times.
Since you brought up this Kent Green guy, where is he now?

@ Liellah with your repetitive cheap s demagogy , since u brought up this Cautious Play , i was just about 2 type a question , analogous 2 yours , regarding Mr. Play . 4 all of his "defensive wizardry" and "prowess" , but sadly your lowly mind would not b able 2 decipher d question i meant 2 raise here . I bet some of d readers still would .

[TBooze]

Senor Pepe' on his Ali rants again. I do not know, I thought you had removed the Italian dictator in you....

[Senor Pepe']

Originally Posted by frankenfrank

Didn't Jimmy Ellis also have n amateur win over Cautious Play ?

Double Frank,,,,,

Yes, Jimmy Ellis did defeat Cassius Clay.

Also, Bob Foster claimed that he knocked Cassius Clay down 'twice'
in 'two' different Regional Tournaments, but he did lose both bouts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to 'Slim' Kent Green,,,

After posting a 12-0-0 (7 KO's) record,

Wednesday Night - August 24, 1960 (Chicago Stadium)

He took on, 174 lb. Clarence Alford 12-7-1 (6 KO's), a 25 year-old Cleveland, Ohio
Light-Heavyweight - who also was a Chicago Stadium 'Preliminary Fighter'.

Kent Green floored Clarence Alford in the 1st-Round, and was well on his way to a
'6-Round Decision Win', when he got caught with a left hook midway through the
6th Round, crashed to the canvas, and was counted out.

It was 'Slim' Green's first professional loss, and first time ever that he was stopped,
amateur or professional.

[orriray59]

Interesting to note that Ali was a teenager at the time.

[Hands of Iron]

Originally Posted by TBooze

Senor Pepe' on his Ali rants again..

[Senor Pepe']

How is this thread a RANT,,,,,,,,,,,

You Muhammad Ali thread/posters are quite,,,,,,'sensitive'.

Back to 'Slim' Kent Green,,,,

He really did not enjoy 'professional boxing'.
He considered it a 'sleazy profession'.

He loved 'amateur boxing', where you respected your opponent, both in and out of
the ring.

Following the 'upset knockout loss' in August 1960,

Kent Green went back to the 'Monday Night Fights at the Marigold Gardens' and
'Wednesday Night Fights at the Chicago Stadium' circuit.

He returned '4' months later in December 1960,

Still campaigning at Light-Heavyweight; Kent added '6' more wins with '5' by knockout
thru June 1961, which bumped 'Slim' Green up to 18-1-0 (12 KO's).

Abruptly, in June 1961, at age 21 1/2, the 6' 4" 178 lb. Light-Heavyweight retired.

There were some 'minor rumblings' about a bout with Cassius Clay in early-1962, but
Kent Green dismissed those as 'false press releases' to stir up publicity for Cassius.

[LittleRed]

This just shows that no matter how good your chin is anyone can be knocked out.