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Super middleweight contender Allan Green is dead serious, you might say, about revving up his boxing career. It might be appropriate if he takes on a series of real “stiffs” but you can be sure he will looking to “bury” everyone at 168 pounds.
Green is changing his ring entrance music. From now, he will only use songs from The Grateful Dead. His matchmaker will only need a strong shovel. I am not sure where Green was this past weekend but someone told he me he was watching the movie "Weekend At Bernie's."
I got a million of them, bad jokes, that is because word was circulating around boxing that Green, who abruptly pulled out of an ESPN main event last week, has signed a managerial deal with a colorful fellow named David Golstein from Parkland, Fl., who owns, among other things, one of Florida’s biggest cemeteries.
I spoke to Goldstein Sunday night and he confirmed that he and veteran boxing man Luis DeCubas will henceforth be directing Green's ring career. Making this truly ironic is that, until now Green has been promoted by Oklahoma’s Tony Holden, known to many as “Mortician” because of his typically dour demeanor. Goldstein is owner of Memorial Park, a large burial ground in South Florida.
I was not sure if Goldstein and Decubas would try to work with Holden who claims he has a valid promotional hold on Green through October, 2009.
Goldstein told me that the fighter will notify Holden this coming week that he will not work with the Oklahoma promoter any longer.
"That is true," Goldstein told me. "We were going to announce this during the week but you've got the accurate story now. I can tell you that Allan's relationship with Holden has ended and notification on that is something Allan will handle personally."
Goldstein, age 62, said his personal preference would to keep Green as a promotional free agent, working on a fight by fight basis with "Golden Boy, Scott Hirsch, Ahmet Oner and Don King but not with just one particular promoter."
Goldstein said he has major plans, in and out of the ring, for Green's benefit including providing the boxer with educational assistance.
"We want Allan to get set up for the future, for long after he's done with boxing. Marketing is my forte and we will be marketing him rather heavily now. We've got a real plan for Allan which will take him a long way."
Goldstein is also a successful songwriter who has penned numerous hit songs and worked with musical giant Elton John. So perhaps Green will ditch The Dead and use Elton’s “Rocket Man” or “Saturday Night” as he walks into the ring.
Goldstein also recenrtly became the manager of 1976 Olymp;ic gold medalist Howard Davis Junior’s fighting son, Daya Davis. Light heavyweight Davis owns an 11-1 pro record.
In Parkland, near Ft. Lauderdale, Goldstein has a wealthy neighbor who put a lot of money into WBC interim heavyweight champion Sam Peters’ career and holds a sizable share of his promotional rights (via Marc Roberts and Dino Duva). That neighbor’s name is Art Falcone.
Goldstein said he has been a fight fan for many years and used to go watch Muhammad Ali bouts on closed circuit TV. His son, Zoie, is a boxing-MMA fan and a doctor who may begin working with the Florida boxing commission.
You music buffs might like to know that Zoie's godfather is Elton John. David has also worked with soul singer Patti Labelle and many others.
I asked Goldstein if he minded all the macabre jokes related to his burial business and boxing.
"Not at all," he said. "I do have a sense of humor." |
