Danny Green vs. Antonio Tarver

The principals are a combined 80 years old, but there is enough bad blood and stylistic intrigue to flatter the IBO by making their cruiserweight title contest something worth staying up late for (or getting up early for). It is happening this Wednesday in Sydney, the largest metropolis in Green's native Australia - and will be in the wee predawn hours for those of us in Tarver's home of the United States.

Tarver of course made his bones at light heavyweight before jumping all the way up to the unlimited division in an intrepid bid to hunt down a world title to bring back to American shores. He bypassed cruiserweight altogether - until now. He and Green have been to the negotiating table a few times over the last several years, and exchanged countless public remarks in between. This contentious history has been brought to a slow boil, and is probably the only thing that could have distracted Tarver at least temporarily from his quest...well, that and the promise of the AUD-laden paycheck he is likely promised which in an ironic twist is probably more than he'd get against any plausible heavyweight opponent back home.

Green - like Tarver a late bloomer and not overly burdened with natural athletic talent but able to make do with solid skills - started at super middleweight and arrived at LHW just as Tarver was dethroned and immediately began their long courtship. In the meantime, in stark contrast to Tarver's skipping over of the weight - Green melted the lines between light heavy and cruiser. That expansive grey area of almost two stone became the legend that is Dannyweight. Larger men were invited to cut down to a catchweight below the CW limit, while much smaller challengers were encouraged to come up and meet Danny at "cruiserweight" with both men just a shade over the light heavyweight limit.

One is an offensive pest with power in either hand and a good jab. The other is a defensive specialist who manages to be slick despite being fairly slow, and who possesses a very sturdy chin as a safety net. The result is fairly difficult to predict - both in terms of who will triumph and whether or not it will be entertaining.



The undercard features Naoufel Ben Rabah vs. Isaac Hlatshwayo @ 140lbs and a British commonwealth title match between cruiserweights Dominic "The Dominator" Vea and Shane "The Mountain Warrior" Cameron.

Cameron is reinventing himself as a cruiserweight after being devastatingly KTFO by David Tua, and has been calling out Green for an all-Oceanic showdown that would probably be a big seller down there. An impressive victory here would lend credence to his boasts of serious contention after dropping down. Vea has had mixed success at the top of the domestic food chain, with a level record against his two best opponents (splitting a pair with each) - coincidentally the last two men Cameron has faced and beaten in his transition to a lighter frame, both comfortably if not spectactularly.

Ben Rabah is perhaps known most for his losses on the world stage: robbed against then-rising juggernaut Urango and coming out on the short end of a long war with Lovemore N'Dou. He will be looking to achieve his greatest professional accomplishment to date, even though the prize is just a minor ABC bauble.

Hlatshwayo - like Ben Rabah born on the Dark Continent 33 years ago - has enjoyed far more success in his overall career and is the better light welterweight on paper, but of late has not been in top form. He received a pair of gifts against hard-luck Delvin Rodriguez - a draw in his own backyard and a split decision win in Delvin's - before getting decimated by Jan Zaveck. He may need this win even more than NBR to stake his claim as a still relevant figure.

Good card. Set your alarm(s) and stock up on Red Bull.

 

The voting is fairly deadlocked so far; hopefully it remains somewhat neutral and doesn't go along jingoistic rah-rah lines. (all the Americans going for Tarver and all the Aussies for Green without even giving pause to really think the match-up over).

 

:think I'd ask if that is because you are a bitter Jones fan, but then you wouldn't be backing Green either. :yep

 

By earlier than now tomorrow, all will have been decided.

My projection on the eve of Judgment Day: the home team (Oz-based boxers) go 0 for 3 in the twelve-round "championship" attractions...but nobody is getting stopped. I've got the visiting Kiwi, the Saffa, and the Yank all taking decisions with minimal drama but a few good exchanges scattered through each.