Louis Greene gets the chance to put his name back in the mix for top titles on the biggest stage of all.
The Strood super welterweight – known as the Medway Mauler – last fought in October for a commonwealth belt, losing a thriller against Sam Gilley on points.
Greene returns to the ring on Friday at the Kingdom Arena, Saudi Arabia on the undercard of the much-hyped Anthony Joshua versus Francis Ngannou heavyweight contest.
Opponent Jack McGann, from Liverpool, hasn’t lost in 10 professional fights and is set to face Gilley for the British and Commonwealth crown after this one – a fight that will take place by the end of July. Greene could put a spanner in the works with a win.
Greene, 31, is ranked among the top 50 superwelterweights in the world after a career where he’s taken on all-comers – never ducking a challenge. When the team got the call to fight in Riyadh there was no hesitation.
Trainer and dad, John Greene said: “When we got the call about five weeks ago manager Mark asked me what I thought. What I thought?! I spoke to Lou about it he was trying to get down the phone at me!
“We’re over the moon with the opportunity and it’s a big chance to get in the mix again. It’s a chance to fight on the biggest platform going, all the big stars are out here and it’s surreal!”
Greene is on the same complex as Ngannou and Joseph Parker – who fights Zhilei Zhang on the same bill for the WBO interim heavyweight title.
On Tuesday he was mingling with the stars at the home of Turki Al-Sheikh – an advisor to the Royal Court and the man credited with making Riyadh the go-to venue for boxing’s top fights. Among those also there was Cristiano Ronaldo and Tyson Fury.
It’s a different kind of experience from Greene’s last outing – a short hop up the A2 to York Hall in Bethnal Green.
“There is no comparison with anything we’ve seen,” said his trainer.
“The villa is something that has to be seen to be believed.
“It is probably normal for the Joshuas and those guys and some of the other lads are saying the same, nothing is too much trouble, the people are so nice and it is a real eye-opener.
“But he deserves a chance to put himself in the limelight, he has plugged away, there have been a few hiccups but he’s never been discouraged and he is determined to do something good here.
“Lou has been mingling with the likes of Joseph Parker and the Furys and they are all friendly, all nice lads. Ngannou is someone you wouldn’t want to upset! We were saying we’ve come from a little club in Strood out to the biggest stage in the world – it’s fantastic.”
The Greene versus Gilley fight has been nominated in the British Boxing Board of Control annual awards, in the running for contest of the year. The ceremony takes place next Sunday (March 17).
British title challenger McGann, who produced a brilliant knockout to see off Alcibiade Duran in his last fight, will be hoping to better Gilley’s performance against Greene, but is taking a risk himself against the Medway boxer who has upset others in the past.
Greene snr said: “If they can better a better result against Lou than Gilley got then it will boost their fighter but Lou has got other ideas – he wants to fight Gilley again.”
