\u201cAnd knowing,\u201d he says, \u201cI had 15, maybe 20 seconds to change my life\u201d.<\/p>\n
But as for knowing now how it also changed Jack Della Maddalena?<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, absolutely wild,\u201d the Australian boxing great admits. \u201cAnd to see Jack now this week, himself in the same spot I was, as the underdog, and readying for what will be a huge upset win \u2026 mate, it really is incredible\u201d.<\/p>\n
Almost 16 years to the day since Della, as a young schoolboy, cheered Green to one of the biggest upsets in Australian boxing history, the now UFC welterweight champ is suddenly on the cusp of doing the same himself.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Wonderfully, this most unique of sliding doors moments also comes within weeks of Green also helping change the career trajectory of fellow Australian fight star Tim Tszyu, and following a simple text exchange.<\/p>\n
Speaking only recently, Tszyu revealed how it was a text from Greeny following his most recent world title loss against Sebastian Fundora that sparked what is also now his own underdog comeback story.<\/p>\n
Apart from changing up his team, or disappearing to Miami, Florida to work with Cuban coach Pedro Diaz, Tszyu is also now planning a December return to the ring. <\/p>\n
But more on all that soon enough.<\/p>\n
First, Della.<\/p>\n
That gutsy Perth fighter who, this Sunday inside Madison Square Garden, is looking to make the first defence of his UFC crown \u2013 and against no less than Dagestani bogeyman Islam Makhachev. <\/p>\n
READ MORE UFC 322 NEWS<\/p>\n
JDM\u2019s big edge on UFC title foe… after being confronted with knife in New York<\/a><\/p>\n Scary title challenger\u2019s Volk smackdown for Aussie UFC champion<\/a><\/p>\n All the big questions answered for Aussie\u2019s \u2018toughest first-up title defence in history\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n I hope Australia will still like me | 07:37<\/p>\n During an interview with Fox Sports Australia back in May, and only days before winning the title from Belal Muhammad, Maddalena revealed how it was Green\u2019s career generally — and upset over Jones, specifically — which effectively catapulted him into everything happening now.<\/p>\n More recently, the two Perth boys have also caught up a couple of times to talk fighting over coffee, and even train together, with Green now convinced JDM is set for his own Jones moment this weekend.<\/p>\n But on that warm December night way back in 2009? <\/p>\n Well, back then Della was still a Perth schoolboy, with he and the old man having jetted across to Sydney after already watching several other big Green wins \u2013 including when he beat Stipe Drews for the WBA light heavyweight title.<\/p>\n Despite going into the fight as wide as $7, Green needed only a tick over two minutes to, first, drop Jones Jnr, before then moving again to finish the now Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd, look, I\u2019ve never, ever compared myself to Roy Jones,\u201d Green stressed this week. \u201cAnd I never, ever will.<\/p>\n \u201cBut on that night, yeah, I got him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I know that never in Roy\u2019s wildest dreams did he think it would happen.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure he didn\u2019t even think it would be a terribly difficult night for him \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n But when you initially dropped him in the first?<\/p>\n \u201cI can still remember going to the corner,\u201d Green continues, \u201cas around me the crowd was going ballistic.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd more than anything afterwards, the jubilation or whatever, I can still remember being stood in that corner and telling myself \u2018OK, you\u2019ve got 15, maybe 20 seconds to change your life \u2026 so make sure you f***ing execute\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though everything was going crazy around me, I was so switched on, so focused.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was complete madness in the stadium, my corner was screaming, but I was so calm, telling myself \u2018you\u2019ve got 15, 20 seconds to change your life, so strike with precision and efficiency\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n