TSS Where Are They Now: Mitch Green

Four-time New York Golden Gloves champion and heavyweight contender Mitch "Blood" Green was a colorful character as an active pro and more so today.   During my interview with Green, I would also end up speaking to his mother, two friends and his dentist.  To say the least, it was entertaining and, well entertaining. 

Not the average interview, but I did learn that Green still hates Don King and Mike Tyson and still wants to fight in some capacity, although he’s fifty-one years old. Hey, he may liven up the heavyweight division a little these days.  Green was best known for his early morning scuffle with Mike Tyson in 1988.  Green sued Tyson for twenty-five million dollars and was awarded about forty-five thousand.  Green fought sporadically after that 1988 scuffle and retired in 2005 with a record of 19-6-1 with 12 KOs.  Here it goes:

(SM)  Mitch, what are you up to these days?
(MG)  Don Queen, Michelle Cicely Tyson!  I got a guy working on some
          fights for me.

(SM)  You want to fight again, what kind of shape are you in?
(MG)  Man, I'm always in great shape, I take care of myself.  Man I would
          knock these kids' heads off today.

(SM)  So what do you think of the heavyweight division today?
(MG)  Sour, very sour. I'd buck their butts!

(SM)  So you would be competitive against them even today?
(MG)  Come on man, I would knock them out.  I would whip that Russian bad.

(SM)  What about getting Tyson back in the ring?
(MG)  Man, I would love to.  They won't do it though, those suckers!

(SM)  What about your first fight with Tyson, give me your thoughts?
(MG)  He couldn't beat me with a stick!  Don King took my money.  Don
          Queen messed me up real bad.

(SM)  Are you saying he blackballed you?
(MG)  Yeah, I had a fight with Bonecrusher Smith, he took that one.  What's that
           guys name, Tubbs?  He took that fight too.  I was ranked, Don Queen took
           it all!  I got a new guy though, Dr. Douglas King, a white guy.  He's an
           angel, Don King is the devil, the black devil.

(SM)  Why didn’t you fight for seven years after the Tyson fight?
(MG)  Man, I won a few belts after that, after Michelle Cicely Tyson.

(SM)  Mitch, do you watch boxing at all today?
(MG)  Yeah a little, Mayweather, guys like that.  The heavyweights don’t turn me
           on at all.

(SM)  Four time Golden Gloves champion, is that your proudest moment?
(MG)  Yeah, but soon I got involved with Don Queen and he messed the whole
          thing up!  Man, Don Queen, I just can’t deal with that dude.

(SM)  How do people react to you when they see you out?
(MG)  Everywhere I go they know me.  I could stop traffic right now.  They all yell
          "what's up champ?"  Everywhere I go people know me.  I got that going for
          me, the notoriety.

(SM)  How did you get the nickname "Blood"?
(MG)  I was a gang leader on the streets.  These guys would bleed when I
          punched them in the face.  The name just stuck.

(SM)  Give me some thoughts on your fights with "Jumbo" Cummings and Trevor
          Berbick?
(MG)  "Jumbo", I liked the guy.  When I fought him I wanted to take his head
          off, but I liked him.  Berbick was also a good guy.  We made some
          money.  All the heavyweights got knocked out, I never got knocked out.
          Never knocked out, never knocked down.  Amateurs maybe.  You
          book 'em and I'll whoop 'em!

(SM)  What's in your future plans Mitch?
(MG)  Ultimate fighting, wrestling, whatever. Remember that show "Best Damn
          Sports Show", I got on there and called Tyson a "homosexual"!  I love to talk, I'm original, I'm always talking!  Don Queen, Don Queen!  Hold on Shawn I
          want you to talk to someone else. (another phone line rings)

(SM)  Hi, who is this? (three way call)
(DK)  I'm Dr. King, Mitch's longtime friend and dentist.

(SM)  What are your plans for Mitch?
(DK)   I want to get him into ultimate fighting.  I'm making some calls to New
          York to see about licensing.  His opponent will try and kick him, Mitch
          will block it and then Mitch will knock him out with one punch.

(MG)  This is the guy that can get me some fights!
(DK)   Mitch could do a show in Vegas and it would be a million dollar gate.
(MG)  This is the white Don King, this is the angel, and the other DK is the devil!
(DK)   What is fascinating is that several years ago when he wanted to fight
          Tyson, Don King wouldn't give him a shot because he knew Mitch would
           knock him out.  This is one of the underdogs.  If you ever write a book it
           would be called "From Rags To Rags".  But I'm telling you he is the next
           big thing in ultimate fighting.  It's a huge draw in Vegas.  Right now I have
           two people who are looking to take him to Bahrain, Dubai and Egypt.
           Mitch has a huge following.  I took him out for lunch after an
           appointment one time and every kid on the street stopped him to say
           hello.  He's a big hero around here, but he never got the chance to
           because he's tough to control.  Mitch has a heart of gold.

(SM)   Mitch, you still there?
(MG)  Yeah I'm still here!  Dr. King is a good friend of mine.  He's not in the
           business but he knows a lot of people.  I'll fight a lion or a bear!
         Remember the name DK, Douglas King.
(DK)  If we put a few people against Mitch it will be the best ticket in town.
 
(SM)  Dr. King thanks for talking to me.  Mitch, any final words?
(MG)  Book 'em and I'll whoop 'em!  God is good.  I'm a good person, the man!
          God bless you Shawn, I love ya buddy. 

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