Former boxer Green dies at 76

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2001 | 8:39 a.m.

Harold Green, a boxing contender of the 1940s who fought three future world middleweight champions, including Rocky Graziano three times, and one former world welterweight champ, died Tuesday in Las Vegas. He was 76.

Green, who moved to Las Vegas with a daughter six months ago after spending most of his life in his native Brooklyn and the New York City area, died of an apparent heart attack, his family said. He suffered from adult-onset diabetes.

Green twice outpointed Graziano in 1944, three years before Graziano won the world middleweight crown, and knocked out Joey Giardello in six rounds in 1950, 13 years before Giardello won the middleweight title. Graziano and Giardello each had a victory over Green.

Green was knocked out by future middleweight champion Marcel Cerdan and had a decision win over former welterweight champion Fritzie Zivic.

Green, the No. 7-ranked welterweight in the world in 1944 according to The Ring Magazine, never got a title shot in either the welterweight (147 pounds) or middleweight (160 pounds) divisions despite beating top contenders.

"My father fought in an era where you did what you were told to do," said Allyce Schwartzbart, who moved with Green here six months ago.

"He never had the management that could get him a shot at a title. But my father was never bitter. He loved the sport and he thought (heavyweight champions) Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano were the best fighters ever."

As a pro, Green had 72 wins, 23 of them by knockout, 13 losses and two draws.

Born Oct. 24, 1924, in the tough Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Green was the eldest of five children of Sam and Lillian Green. He dropped out of Jefferson High School as a teenager and later told his family that one of his greatest regrets was that he did not get a proper education.

At age 14, Green began fighting as an amateur, winning tournaments that awarded watches as prizes. Schwartzbart said her father sold the watches and bought food that he would bring home to help feed the family during the Depression.

On Feb. 3, 1942, Green began his pro career with a four-round victory over Willis Johnson. After serving in the Army from 1943-44, Green won 24 straight fights to bring his record to an impressive 25-3-1.

On Nov. 3, 1944, Green outpointed Graziano in a 10-rounder and came back on Dec. 22 to again win a 10-rounder. On Sept. 28, 1945, Graziano, who had grown into a middleweight and outweighed Green by 10 pounds, avenged the losses with a third-round knockout of Green. All three fights were in New York.

On Feb. 9, 1945, Green headlined a six-bout card at Madison Square Garden, defeating Morris Reif for the vacant Brooklyn welterweight title. On June 22, 1945, Green scored a 10-round decision over Zivic in New York. Zivic formerly held the world welter crown.

On March 28, 1947, in New York, Green was knocked out in the second round by Cerdan. The next year, Cerdan won the middleweight title, only to lose it in 1949 and die in a plane crash on Oct. 27 of that year.

On Oct. 26, 1950, Green had a resurgence late in his career with a sixth-round knockout of Giardello in Brooklyn. On Feb. 2, 1952, a day before his 10th anniversary as a pro fighter, Green lost a 10-round decision to Giardello in Brooklyn. It was Green's last fight.

Green later owned his own marine equipment business and enjoyed a long retirement, his daughter said.

Despite his fight with diabetes, Green remained relatively healthy throughout most of his life. He celebrated Labor Day night at the Suncoast hotel-casino with his daughter. They came home and he died in his sleep, Schwartzbart said.

In addition to his daughter, Green is survived by another daughter, Stella Levy of New York; a brother, Eli Green of New Jersey; two sisters, Esther Armatti and Pauline Green, both of New Jersey; and three grandchildren, Nicole Levy, Steven Schwartzbart and Marc Levy, all of Los Angeles. He was preceded in death by a sister, Gloria. There will be no services. Burial will be at Pine Lawn in New York.