Boxing News : Altamura : Green Breaks Down Lucas in Six

Green Breaks Down Lucas in Six
By Mike Altamura (December 21, 2003)

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Despite the boos of the 15,000 strong crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal, and the underdog tag leading in, Australia's Danny Green made his mark in the wide open super middleweight division by impressively stopping French-Canadian Eric Lucas in the sixth round of their scheduled 12 rounder to capture the "interim" WBC title.

The power-punching Green, 30, who improved to 17-1 (17), is now obligated to fight by February 28 the man he was controversially disqualified against in August, Germany's Markus Beyer, 28-1 (11), to consolidate the championship.

Former champion Lucas, who had only been defeated inside the distance twice before (on both occasions in the 12th against Roy Jones and Glenn Catley), fell to 36-6-3 (13). At 32 years of age and a 12-year professional career, which has contained a multitude of wars, retirement is probably the best option for Lucas.

As for Green, this is just the beginning. If he wins the Beyer rematch, which on this showing he will be favored to win even in Germany, there lies opportunities ahead for superfights with fellow Australian archrival and WBA title holder Anthony Mundine, WBO champion Joe Calzaghe, and long-reigning IBF and WBA "super" champ Sven Ottke.

"[This is] the start of the new undisputed super middleweight champion of the world," said Green's trainer Jeff Fenech following the fight. "We want to fight everybody anywhere."

Green started the fight tentatively, allowing Lucas to be the aggressor. The Canadian seized the opportunity throwing fast combinations and effectively cutting the ring. Late in the opening round he caught two solid right hands near the ropes to clearly win the stanza.

The second was also dominated by Lucas, who was throwing much shorter, sharper punches. With one minute remaining in the round Lucas caught the Australian with a flush right hand, which Green attempted to counter with a right of his own, but missed and slipped to the canvas.

The momentum started to swing in the third as Green began utilizing his stiff left jab, and although he allowed Lucas to be the aggressor for the most part, he convincingly won the round, particularly due to a left-right combination which appeared to briefly rock his iron-chinned adversary.

In round four Green continued to exert his authority by again wobbling Lucas with a sizzling left hook. The ex-champ tried gallantly to steal the round in the closing seconds with a flurry, but most his shots were deflected.

A more aggressive Green came out in the fifth, working downstairs and upstairs with thumping combinations. Lucas for his part, fought off most the advances but was still handily outworked.

Green was ever the composed fighter in the sixth, picking his spots early and avoiding Lucas' counters. With just under a minute remaining in the round, the Canadian's legs buckled following an ominous right hand. As he backed up into a neutral corner, Green unloaded with left and rights, as Lucas tried desperately to stay alive by firing haymakers. Seconds later, Green backed up to create space and advanced with a thunderous right uppercut-left hook combination which again staggered his opponent. Four right hands followed (three of which landed) as Lucas dropped to a knee near the ropes.

Battered and bruised, a dejected Lucas glanced to his corner and trainer Stephane Larouche immediately threw in the towel.
Following the victory, an overjoyed Green kissed the tattoo on his left bicep of his 22-month daughter Chloe, who he dedicated the fight to.

Green earned a career-high $420,000 for the fight. Lucas walked away with $1.5 million for his troubles.

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

In the main support, Haiti-born Montreal-based light middleweight prospect Joachim Alcine, 18-0 (11), overcome a slow start to earn a 10-round unanimous decision over stringbean fringe contender Darrell Woods, 20-7 (15). It was a fairly uneventful fight, but Alcine's work at close quarters from the third round onwards saw him keep his unblemished record intact. The judges' scorecards of 98-93, 97-93, and 98-92 were a little too wide and didn't reflect the fight.

2000 Romanian Olympian light heavyweight Adrian "The Shark" Diaconu was most impressive in dropping overmatched middleweight Rico Cason five times en route to a third round stoppage. The bull-like Diaconu, now 14-0 (8) as a professional, showed a good kit of punches. Cason, who has not defeated a fighter with a winning record for six years, fell to 16-9 (4).

Romanian southpaw Lucian Bute, 2-0 (2), is considered one of the finest prospects on the Canadian boxing scene and he didn't disappoint, stopping Darrin Johnson in the opening stanza. Johnson was down three times, with the final knockdown coming from a left-right uppercut.

In the opening televised contest, fat French-Canadian heavyweight, 271-pounder Patrice L'Heureux, dropped the even heavier 326-pound Marcus Harden in the first with a right hand, and continued to dominate before knocking him down and out with another right in the third. Although L'Heureux is undefeated at 11-0-1 (6), he appears to have a limited future unless he improves his conditioning. With the loss, Harden is now 3-3 (1).