For Virgil Green, Tuesday’s fight against Miguel Cruz in Bethlehem, Pa., is both a significant opportunity and a unique challenge.
Win today, and the 27-year-old Vancouver resident figures to climb into the top 20 American boxers in the 147-pound weight division.
The fact that Cruz is 11-0 with 10 knockouts doesn’t worry Green.
“I like giving them their first loss,” Green said. “It doesn’t matter if a guy is 30-0 or 40-0 as long as I’m not one of those (who they beat).”
Green is eager to fight not only because this fight will be nationally televised by Fox Sports 1 beginning at 6 p.m. He has had opponents withdraw from four of his last five scheduled fights including three since his last bout in May.
Leonard Gabriel, Green’s coach and manager, said boxers seem to be avoiding Green. Green is not yet a championship contender, but he is dangerous enough to derail another boxer’s championship dream, Gabriel said.
The most recent example came on Dec. 19 when Green was scheduled to fight in Las Vegas as part of a show for Spike TV. But Fabian Maidana of Argentina withdrew the day before the fight.
“That was one of the most disappointing things I’ve had to deal with in boxing,” Green said, adding that not getting to fight felt a lot like losing a fight.
The silver lining came after Green sparred at Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas and earned a contract from Mayweather Promotions for the match in Pennsylvania.
The fact that Green was prepared to fight on Dec. 19 means he was in shape to take on this Dec. 29 opportunity. Gabriel said that Green has been training twice a day for at least the past eight weeks, but admitted it is a unique challenge to ramp back up for a few days after aiming to be in top shape on Dec. 19.
Other than some year-old video, Gabriel said he has not seen Cruz fight. But Gabriel noted that the mystery works both ways.
“Virgil is a smart fighter who can adjust on the fly,” Gabriel said. “He’s going to be prepared for wherever the fight goes.”
If the fight goes the full eight rounds, it will be the longest bout of Green’s pro career. He has gone six rounds six times as a pro fighter.
In an effort to move up in the rankings, Green and his team this year decided to move up one weight class. After fighting in the 140-pound class for his first four years as a pro, Green now competes at 147. It means less pressure for the 6-foot-1 Green to lose weight before weigh-ins.
“It was a very smart thing to do,” Green said, noting that he fought some at 152 pounds as an amateur. “I’m stronger and faster, and I’m not feeling weak the day before or the day of the fight.”
Gabriel — who has worked with Green since he started boxing at age 16 in the Vancouver Police Activities League program — says this fight is a tremendous opportunity for Green to prove he belongs among the best American welterweights and give his career a significant boost.
“We’re going to find out if we belong there. I believe Virgil belongs there,” Gabriel said.
How to watch
TV broadcast: 6 p.m. Tuesday on Fox Sports 1 (Comcast cable Ch. 408). Virgil Green’s match against Miguel Cruz is one of two scheduled to be shown live during the broadcast.
