{"id":55370,"date":"2015-08-24T14:06:24","date_gmt":"2015-08-24T19:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=55370"},"modified":"2026-04-23T19:43:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T00:43:42","slug":"james-hard-rock-green-one-hard-rock-to-crack-remembered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=55370","title":{"rendered":"James \u201cHard Rock\u201d Green: One Hard Rock to Crack Remembered"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1545664804358300\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1545664804358300\" data-ad-slot=\"8616314829\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><div id=\"polls-1197\" class=\"wp-polls\">\n\t<form id=\"polls_form_1197\" class=\"wp-polls-form\" action=\"\/index.php\" method=\"post\">\n\t\t<p style=\"display: none;\"><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"poll_1197_nonce\" name=\"wp-polls-nonce\" value=\"f9c793dcd4\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t<p style=\"display: none;\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"poll_id\" value=\"1197\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Do you think \"Hard Rock\" could compete in the junior middleweight division today?<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"polls-1197-ans\" class=\"wp-polls-ans\"><ul class=\"wp-polls-ul\">\n\t\t<li><input type=\"radio\" id=\"poll-answer-3205\" name=\"poll_1197\" value=\"3205\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-3205\">Yes<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"radio\" id=\"poll-answer-3206\" name=\"poll_1197\" value=\"3206\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-3206\">No<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><input type=\"button\" name=\"vote\" value=\"   Vote   \" class=\"Buttons\" onclick=\"poll_vote(1197);\" \/><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"#ViewPollResults\" onclick=\"poll_result(1197); return false;\" title=\"View Results Of This Poll\">View Results<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"polls-1197-loading\" class=\"wp-polls-loading\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-polls\/images\/loading.gif\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading ...\" title=\"Loading ...\" class=\"wp-polls-image\" \/>&nbsp;Loading ...<\/div>\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=55370 \" rel=\"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=55370 \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-55371 size-medium\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/hardrockgreen-237x300.jpg\" alt=\"hardrockgreen\" width=\"237\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a>By Ian \u201cThe Boxing Historian\u201d Murphy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In RSR\u2019s latest installment of 1980s forgotten contenders, we now examine the career of Irvington, New Jersey\u2019s James \u201cHard Rock\u201d Green. This stout and explosive battler went pro in 1980 and was in and about the top ten in the 154lb weight class during the early part of that decade. He fought top contenders such as Teddy Mann, Robbie Sims, Ernie Singletary, David Braxton, Frank Fletcher, and Wilford Scypion, and battled (losing to) former world champions John David Jackson, Donald Curry, and John \u201cThe Beast\u201d Mugabi.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>The crowd pleasing Green\u2019s 5\u20194 frame was probably more suited to the featherweight (126lb) class, but \u201cHard Rock\u201d chose to go after naturally much bigger men in the 154 and 160lb divisions. Despite his stature, Green had a solid 69\u201d reach, which mitigated some of his height disadvantage. Like a ball of nervous energy, Green was twitching to throw down. He was quick, explosive and not afraid to take it to his bigger opponents. Green sought to do damage up close, where his hand speed and leverage could be best used.<\/p>\n<p>Green\u2019s first fight of note was against Marvin Hagler\u2019s half-brother Robbie Sims (who would later fight for the Middleweight title) in April of 1981. Green lost to Sims by decision in 8 rounds, but bounced back in a big way. James rattled off ten straight wins, defeating ranked contenders Wilford Scypion (who later went on to challenge Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the Middleweight title in 1983), Teddy Mann, and Ernie Singletary in 1983. This string of victories put Green in the top ten and solidified him as a legit contender for the 154lb title. After these high profile wins, Green then challenged Frank Fletcher for the USBA title later in 1982. He lost via TKO in 6. He recovered to win his next two bouts, but lost via decision in ten rounds to David \u201cMachine Gun\u201d Braxton in a bid for the NABF (a title that was often an invitation to later secure big money fights in that era) 154lb belt in September, 1983.<\/p>\n<p>After his loss to Braxton, Green\u2019s career as a contender was effectively over. James then became more of a gatekeeper and fought and lost to future champions Donald Curry and John Mugabi on their way up. Hard Rock retired in 1986, but made an ill-advised comeback eight years later in 1994. He fought six more fights, culminating in a NABF title shot versus Otis Grant, which he lost via TKO in 12 rounds. James \u201cHard Rock\u201d Green finished his career in 1996 with a record of 22-10-2, 15 KO\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pepe Serna 360 Conversation: Texas, Acting, Scarface, Miami Vice, Trump, Humanity, ICE &amp; Much More\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G4QQqcDtoI4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #808000;\"><a style=\"color: #808000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorhouse.com\/en\/bookstore\/bookdetails\/232300-BOXING-INTERVIEWS-OF-A-LIFETIME\">Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By &#8220;Bad&#8221; Brad Berkwitt<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wpforms-container wpforms-container-full\" id=\"wpforms-126533\"><form id=\"wpforms-form-126533\" class=\"wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form\" data-formid=\"126533\" method=\"post\" enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" action=\"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F55370\" data-token=\"c27dee4bf148e4e64e48935279d40b5b\" data-token-time=\"1778158094\"><noscript class=\"wpforms-error-noscript\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.<\/noscript><div class=\"wpforms-field-container\">\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4-container\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-type=\"text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-id=\"4\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" >Comment Message or<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][4]\" >\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-name\" data-field-id=\"1\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\">Name <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><div class=\"wpforms-field-row wpforms-field-medium\"><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-first wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-first wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][first]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">First<\/label><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-last wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][last]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">Last<\/label><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-email\" data-field-id=\"2\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\">Email <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><input type=\"email\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][2]\" spellcheck=\"false\" required><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-textarea\" data-field-id=\"3\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\">Comment or Message<\/label><textarea id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][3]\" ><\/textarea><\/div><script>\n\t\t\t\t( function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconst style = document.createElement( 'style' );\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle.appendChild( document.createTextNode( '#wpforms-126533-field_4-container { position: absolute !important; 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This stout and explosive battler went pro in 1980 and was in and about the top ten in the 154lb weight class during the early part of that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[13714],"class_list":["post-55370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-james-hard-rock-green-one-hard-rock-to-crack-remembered"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=55370"}],"version-history":[{"count":-1,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55370\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}