02.07.05 – By Tony Nobbs: Hometown hero Danny Green (19-2, 18 KO’s) will start a prohibitive favourite when he faces American James Crawford (40-10-2, 17 KO’s) over ten heats at the Challenge Stadium in Perth, Western Australia, on Sunday..
While a lot of fans had been hoping for a stronger opponent to gauge exactly where the 32 year old stands, this is probably a useful first fight back for the two time WBC 168 lb title challenger after the disappointing defeat to Markus Beyer in March.
Crawford, 36, stopped six times in going 7-7 and 2 NC since suffering an eight round TKO to Sven Ottke for the IBF belt in March 2001, isn’t expected by most to hear the final bell against the bigger punching Australian, it is a chance for Green to experiment some of the techniques he has picked up since linking with Thai based Cuban trainer Ismael Salas, and also allowing he and the 1996 WBA Trainer of the Year to get some work together in real combat against an opponent he should convincingly beat before again making a run to the title. After being disqualified in the first Beyer challenge in 2003, Green became WBC Interim champ by devastating Eric Lucas in December of that year. In his subsequent three bouts he hasn’t been the same, struggling with the Perth summer time humidity and Kiwi Sean Sullivan, getting off the deck against Argentina’s Omar Gonzales to score a cut eye win and then being outboxed by Beyer. Two fights back, in March, Crawford lost a unanimous decision over twelve rounds to Lucas, being floored five times.
Also in action on the undercard, IBF # 4 jnr welter Noefel Ben Rabah, WBO # 2 jnr middle Daniel Dawson, and popular no frills Victorian super middleweight Daniel ‘Porky’ Lovett.
Main Event PPV coverage begins at 4 pm AEST starting of with an hour long documentary on “The Green Machine”.