Professional Career
After the Olympics, Green decided to turn professional. He won his first bout by a second round technical knockout ovr Waqa Kolivuso on 29 June 2001 in his adopted hometown of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. A strong puncher, Green won all of his first 16 fights by KO or TKO, earning him a match with Germany's Super Middleweight World Champion Markus Beyer.
Green fought Beyer on 16 August 2003 in Germany. Green floored Beyer twice, opening a cut above the champion's right eye that had to be closed between the third and fourth round. In the fifth round, a clash of heads opened the cut again. The referee ruled it was deliberate on Green's part, and he was disqualified. All three judges had Green ahead on their scorecards. Green was granted a rematch on the condition that he fight two contenders nominated by the WBC.
Green defeated Eric Lucas by a 6th round knockout on 20 December 2003, in Montreal, Canada. He next defeated Sean Sullivan by a unanimous decision on 21 March 2004 in Perth. On 29 September 2004, Green fulfilled the WBC requirements for a rematch by stopping Omar Eduardo Gonzales in the fifth round in Sydney. Beyer was still the reigning champion, and a bout with Green was scheduled for March 2005. Once again it would be fought in Germany.
Green began his rematch cautiously, trying to outbox Beyer in the early rounds. However, Beyer was the more skilled boxer and opened a large points lead. Near the end of the fight, Green realized he needed a knockout to win. He took the last three rounds, and scored the fight's only knockdown in the final round. Beyer was a majority winner on two of the three cards, with one judge scoring it a draw.
Green and trainer, former world champion Jeff Fenech went separate ways, and Green then hired Cuban Olympic trainer Ismael Salas. Green stopped James Crawford in the 5th round of his next fight on 3 July 2005 in Perth.
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