Dave Boy Green

British boxer

David Robert Green (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, and the European welterweight title in 1979.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

On 23 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. 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.

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. 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".

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.

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. In 2012, Green was awarded an MBE for services to Boxing and Charity in the Cambridgeshire area.

No. (Number)ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes41Loss37–4 Reggie FordRTD5 (10), 3 Nov 1981 40Win37–3 Danny LongTKO4 (10), 2 Jun 1981 39Win36–3 Jose Ramon Gomez FouzPTS824 Feb 1981 38Win35–3 Gary HolmgrenTKO6 (8), 27 Jan 1981 37Win34–3 Mario MendezTKO2 (10)14 Nov 1980 36Loss33–3 Sugar Ray LeonardKO4 (15), 31 Mar 1980 35Win33–2 Dick EklundPTS104 Dec 1979 34Win32–2 Steve MichaleryaTKO3 (10), 25 Sep 1979 33Loss31–2 Jørgen HansenKO3 (12)14 May 1979 32Win31–1 Rafael RodriguezTKO8 (10)26 Jun 1979 31Win30–1 Lawrence HafeyTKO5 (10)1 May 1979 30Win29–1 Henry RhineyTKO5 (12)29 Jan 1979 29Win28–1 Sammy MasiasKO1 (10)5 Dec 1978 28Win27–1 Aundra LoveTKO8 (10)7 Nov 1978 27Win26–1 Roy JohnsonKO4 (10)21 Feb 1978 26Win25–1 Andy PricePTS1027 Sep 1977 25Loss24–1 Carlos PalominoKO11 (15), 14 Jun 1977 24Win24–0 John H. StraceyTKO10 (10), 29 Mar 1977 23Win23–0 Mario Omar GuillottiPTS1022 Feb 1977 22Win22–0 Jean Baptiste PiedvacheRTD9 (15), 7 Dec 1976 21Win21–0 Jimmy HeairPTS109 Nov 1976 20Win20–0 Ramiro BolanosTKO4 (10), 26 Oct 1976 19Win19–0 Ugo Di PietroKO1 (10), 12 Oct 1976 18Win18–0 Jean Pierre YounsiTKO1 (10), 14 Sep 1976 17Win17–0 Ernesto BergamascoTKO5 (10), 22 Jun 1976 16Win16–0 Joey SingletonRTD6 (15), 1 Jun 1976 15Win15–0 Herbie McLeanRTD4 (10), 27 Apr 1976 14Win14–0 Jim MontaguePTS86 Apr 1976 13Win13–0 Giuseppe MinottiTKO4 (8), 20 Mar 1976 12Win12–0 Billy WaithTKO11 (12), 2 Mar 1976 11Win11–0 George McGurkKO2 (10), 20 Jan 1976 10Win10–0 Alan SalterTKO1 (10), 25 Nov 1975 9Win9–0 Brian JonesKO2 (10), 10 Nov 1975 8Win8–0 Al StewartTKO2 (8), 14 Oct 1975 7Win7–0 Angus McMillanPTS83 Jun 1975 6Win6–0 Tommy JoyceKO3 (8), 12 May 1975 5Win5–0 George SalmonPTS88 Apr 1975 4Win4–0 Barton McallisterTKO (Technical knockout)2 (6), 11 Mar 1975 3Win3–0 Derek SimpsonRTD (Corner retirement)7 (8), 12 Feb 1975 2Win2–0 Dave CoombsKO2 (6), 20 Jan 1975 1Win1–0 Yotham KundaKO (Knockout)2 (6)10 Dec 1974