JUNIOR GREENIDGE is quick to agree that unprofessionalism led to the break-up with the Sam Layne camp.
Only, his corner wasn’t to blame.
Barbados’ former Commonwealth Games bronze medal boxer has called out the highly contentious promoter on his management just days after Layne Boxing Promotions said they were releasing Greenidge from his two-year deal.
It’s the latest jab thrown in what has now become a back-and-forth spat which originally began last week when Layne said he was dropping Greenidge due to a lack of discipline.
“From the time I signed with Sam Layne he didn’t represent me at all,” Greenidge said in response to the indiscipline claim.
“Before my first fight, he had to fax a clearance for me to box because I don’t work for myself, “and up to this day he hasn’t sent this fax.
My chief of security and the deputy chief called him and he still hasn’t sent it.”
Just a couple days ago, Layne revealed he was releasing the former top amateur from his two-year contract following what the promoter deemed “behaviour not suited for a pro boxer”.
This coming only 16 months after Greenidge originally signed the two-year deal, marking his much-awaited switch to the pro ranks following a lengthy layoff.
But Layne only managed to get the talented pugilist a single fight during their brief relationship, after Greenidge’s original debut fell through at the last second.
“He had a gentleman for me to box and then he switched it on the day so I got the time from my superiors to box [but] the guy never showed up,” said Greenidge of the cancelled bout against Pedro Skeete slated for September, 2009.
A once highly-touted amateur, Greenidge first hit the big stage after winning bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, to capture Barbados’ lone medal at those games.
He was then awarded the country’s highest sporting honour – the Sports Personality of the Year – later that year for the same performance.
However, Greenidge quickly fell out of favour in Layne’s eyes when he was disqualified from his lone professional bout for hitting opposing boxer Julian Tannis while he was on the ground.
It’s a fact that Greenidge doesn’t deny, even though he contends the referee failed in his duty to break the action.
“I mean this is your first fight, so your adrenaline is pumped and as a boxer you should have a killer instinct or you don’t belong in the ring,” said Greenidge of the fight.
“But the referee didn’t even step in to stop the action when the guy was on the ground. He didn’t step in to send me to the mutual corner, or to give the guy an eight-count or a ten-count, nothing like that.
“The guy was also holding me all the time and the referee never warned him,” he added.
Greenidge says he’s happy to be out of the contract as it has given him the time and focus on his training with an eye to returning to the ring by April.
“When Sam Layne says he got rid of me it’s really that I got rid of him because I was just waiting for this contract to finish,” said a relieved Greenidge.
