Dave Boy Green

David Robert Green MBE (born 2 June 1953), better known as Dave Boy Green, is a former British professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1981. He challenged twice for the WBC welterweight title; first in 1977 against Carlos Palomino and again in 1980 against Sugar Ray Leonard. At regional level, he held the British and European super-lightweight titles in 1976, becoming the first British fighter to hold the latter,^[1] and the European welterweight title in 1979.

Early life

Green was born on 2 June 1953, in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, a small fenland town. His father was a farmer and so Green's first experience of work was helping out around the family farm.^[2] He attended Cromwell School where he was keen on football and cross country running, but took up boxing in 1967 after joining the Chatteris Amateur Boxing Club. He was trained by Arthur Binder who had taught Eric Boon, a famous local boxer. Green had 105 amateur contests, winning 84 with 33 inside the distance.^[3]

Professional career

In 1974, Green turned professional under the guidance of manager Andy Smith. He made his professional debut on 10 December 1974, when he beat Yotham Kunda by knockout in the second round. Green went on to achieve 15 straight wins, earning a shot at the British light-welterweight title.^[4]

British light-welterweight champion

On 1 June 1976, Green entered the ring in a tiger-skin dressing-gown to win the British light-welterweight title against Joey Singleton with powerful hooks to the head and body.^[5] Though receiving stinging jabs all the while, Singleton was the better boxer, but Green's power began to show. The crowd wanted Green to deliver his "muck spreader" punch, but his boxing lead to a retirement in the sixth round.

European light-welterweight champion

On 7 December 1976 Green took on the Pride of Paris, Jean-Baptiste Piedvache, for the vacant European light-welterweight title. Green was staggered in the eighth round but Piedvache's left eye was beginning to close. With a strong right and left hooks, Green retired Piedvache in the ninth round while ahead on points. It was Green's 22nd straight win with 18 inside the distance.^[4]

On 29 March 1977, Green fought John H. Stracey at Wembley as a final eliminator to challenge for the WBC welterweight title. Stracey was a former WBC welterweight champion from the tough East End of London. The odds appeared to be even going into the bout, but Green went on to win the match due to Stracey's left eye starting to close.^[6]

Challenger for world title

Green vs. Palomino

On 14 June 1977, Green challenged Carlos Palomino for the WBC welterweight title at Empire Pool. Fortunes swayed with Green digging deep, his left eye closing, but Palomino boxed superbly to win by a left-hook knockout in the 11th round. It was the first time Green had been floored as a professional. After his loss, Green's next bout was against Andy Price, beating him on points.^[7]

European welterweight champion

On 23^[8] January 1979, Green challenged Henry Rhiney for the European welterweight title. It was an all-British fight with all the tickets sold. The bout started at a terrific pace both men going toe-to-toe. A solid right to the head of Rhiney led Mr. Nathan to stop the fight, making Green a dual European Champion, and the first Englishman to do so since Ted Lewis in 1920.^[9]

On 28 June 1979, Green defended his European welterweight title against Dane Jørgen Hansen. Green knocked Hansen down in the second round, but the Dane fought on, knocking Green down twice in the third, and forcing the referee to stop the bout. Being a true sportsman Green applauded Hansen when the belt was presented.^[9]

Green vs. Leonard

The final challenge for the WBC welterweight title happened on 31 March 1980 against the holder Sugar Ray Leonard at the Capital Centre Landover, Maryland US. Green suffered a devastating knockout in the fourth round being out cold before he hit the canvas. Referee Arthur Mercante, ruled that it was too dangerous to continue the count and stopped at six.^[10] The Times reported "Leaning forward, dipping to left and right so that either hand could hit with equal venom, Leonard struck Green with a left and followed up quickly with a right-left-right, that started a clangour in Green's head, and the Briton crashed onto his back at the same place in the ring where Carlos Palomino had sent him toppling backwards".^[11]

Later career

After his loss to Leonard, Green returned to the ring on 14 November 1980, against American Mario Mendez, stopping him in the second round. Green's final bout, on 3 November 1981, was at the Royal Albert Hall against Reg Ford a New York-based Guyanese who was a one time sparring partner to Thomas Hearns. Andy Smith retired Green in the fifth round with cuts and a closing left eye.

After boxing

Green appeared in the BBC Series Superstars where he competed in the multi discipline event against other sports stars.

Currently Green is Chairman of Renoak Limited in Chatteris, a company he founded with Bob Emerson. Dave takes part in charity golf events. His success can be summed up by Sugar Ray Leonard, "Dave was a brave fighting man who never gave less than one hundred per cent whenever he put the gloves on. He is a warm human being who does tremendous work for charity, and I'm thrilled he has made such a success in business".

Green married Kay Curson on 26 October 1974. They have a son and twin daughters.^[12] In 2012, Green was awarded an MBE for services to Boxing and Charity in the Cambridgeshire area.^[13]

Professional boxing record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
41	Loss	37–4	Reggie Ford	RTD	5 (10), 3:00	3 Nov 1981	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
40	Win	37–3	Danny Long	TKO	4 (10), 1:30	2 Jun 1981	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
39	Win	36–3	Jose Ramon Gomez Fouz	PTS	8	24 Feb 1981	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
38	Win	35–3	Gary Holmgren	TKO	6 (8), 2:38	27 Jan 1981	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
37	Win	34–3	Mario Mendez	TKO	2 (10)	14 Nov 1980	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
36	Loss	33–3	Sugar Ray Leonard	KO	4 (15), 2:27	31 Mar 1980	Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, US	For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
35	Win	33–2	Dick Eklund	PTS	10	4 Dec 1979	Empire Pool, London, England
34	Win	32–2	Steve Michalerya	TKO	3 (10), 2:04	25 Sep 1979	Empire Pool, London, England
33	Loss	31–2	Jørgen Hansen	KO	3 (12)	14 May 1979	Randers Hallen, Randers, Denmark	Lost European welterweight title
32	Win	31–1	Rafael Rodriguez	TKO	8 (10)	26 Jun 1979	Conference Centre, London, England
31	Win	30–1	Lawrence Hafey	TKO	5 (10)	1 May 1979	Empire Pool, London, England
30	Win	29–1	Henry Rhiney	TKO	5 (12)	29 Jan 1979	Royal Albert Hall, London, England	Won European welterweight title
29	Win	28–1	Sammy Masias	KO	1 (10)	5 Dec 1978	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
28	Win	27–1	Aundra Love	TKO	8 (10)	7 Nov 1978	Empire Pool, London, England
27	Win	26–1	Roy Johnson	KO	4 (10)	21 Feb 1978	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
26	Win	25–1	Andy Price	PTS	10	27 Sep 1977	Empire Pool, London, England
25	Loss	24–1	Carlos Palomino	KO	11 (15), 2:05	14 Jun 1977	Empire Pool, London, England	For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
24	Win	24–0	John H. Stracey	TKO	10 (10), 1:40	29 Mar 1977	Empire Pool, London, England
23	Win	23–0	Mario Omar Guillotti	PTS	10	22 Feb 1977	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
22	Win	22–0	Jean-Baptiste Piedvache	RTD	9 (15), 3:00	7 Dec 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England	Won vacant European super-lightweight title
21	Win	21–0	Jimmy Heair	PTS	10	9 Nov 1976	Empire Pool, London, England
20	Win	20–0	Ramiro Bolanos	TKO	4 (10), 1:30	26 Oct 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
19	Win	19–0	Ugo Di Pietro	KO	1 (10), 2:12	12 Oct 1976	Empire Pool, London, England
18	Win	18–0	Jean Pierre Younsi	TKO	1 (10), 2:50	14 Sep 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
17	Win	17–0	Ernesto Bergamasco	TKO	5 (10), 0:21	22 Jun 1976	Empire Pool, London, England
16	Win	16–0	Joey Singleton	RTD	6 (15), 3:00	1 Jun 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England	Won British super-lightweight title
15	Win	15–0	Herbie McLean	RTD	4 (10), 3:00	27 Apr 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
14	Win	14–0	Jim Montague	PTS	8	6 Apr 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
13	Win	13–0	Giuseppe Minotti	TKO	4 (8), 2:02	20 Mar 1976	Empire Pool, London, England
12	Win	12–0	Billy Waith	TKO	11 (12), 2:35	2 Mar 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
11	Win	11–0	George McGurk	KO	2 (10), 2:50	20 Jan 1976	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
10	Win	10–0	Alan Salter	TKO	1 (10), 1:25	25 Nov 1975	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
9	Win	9–0	Brian Jones	KO	2 (10), 0:55	10 Nov 1975	Guild Hall, Cambridge, England
8	Win	8–0	Al Stewart	TKO	2 (8), 2:45	14 Oct 1975	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
7	Win	7–0	Angus McMillan	PTS	8	3 Jun 1975	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
6	Win	6–0	Tommy Joyce	KO	3 (8), 2:35	12 May 1975	Hilton Hotel, London, England
5	Win	5–0	George Salmon	PTS	8	8 Apr 1975	Sporting Club, Cambridge, England
4	Win	4–0	Barton Mcallister	TKO	2 (6), 2:50	11 Mar 1975	Empire Pool, London, England
3	Win	3–0	Derek Simpson	RTD	7 (8), 3:00	12 Feb 1975	Guild Hall, Cambridge, England
2	Win	2–0	Dave Coombs	KO	2 (6), 1:56	20 Jan 1975	Hilton Hotel, London, England
1	Win	1–0	Yotham Kunda	KO	2 (6)	10 Dec 1974	Ice Rink, Nottingham, England

See also

• List of British light-welterweight boxing champions
• List of European Boxing Union welterweight champions
• List of European Boxing Union light welterweight champions

References

Bibliography

• Lloyd, Melanie (2017). Sweet Fighting Man: Ring of Truth. Pitch Publishing, Durrington. ISBN 978-1-78531-315-8.

External links

• Boxing record for Dave Boy Green from BoxRec (registration required)