Heavyweight Handles Lights -- Seattle City Light Worker Discovers Talent In The Ring

Mark Green spends his weekdays climbing in and out of 20-foot trenches, handling tons of electrical cables and casings. As a maintenance worker for Seattle City Light, he's responsible when the lights go out in the city.

He's also responsible when his opponent's lights go out in the boxing ring.

Green, 28, makes his burgeoning career as an amateur boxer seem easy.

"My job is pretty hard, and dangerous," said Green, who has a 6-0 record with three knockouts as a heavyweight. "I lift a lot of heavy things. When I come to my workouts, I'm already tired."

Green trains four times a week at the Hillman City Boxing Gym in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. He began boxing just six months ago, shortly after watching Evander Holyfield beat Bert Cooper in a heavyweight title fight.

"I saw what sad shape they were in," said Green, who lives in West Seattle. "That inspired me. I thought, `I can do that, too.' I had never fought before. But I started looking for a gym, and one thing led to another."

Green gets most of his training from former heavyweight fighter Ian Mattis. However, Green said most of his lessons have come in the ring. A swift jab to the head reminds him, more than Mattis, to keep his right hand up.

"If I do one thing wrong I've got a lot of guys to tell me," Green said. "Pretty much everybody in the gym helps me out. They push me when I'm tired."

Green, who started at a very muscular 217 pounds, is down to 205. He always has been an avid weightlifter. Doctors have told him he is almost too muscular to box, that his muscles restrict his movement.

Green was an athlete in high school. He ran track and played basketball for Chief Sealth High. Size and strength are Green's gifts. But he did not discover his talent for boxing until very recently.

He won his first two fights in the novice division on a Golden Gloves card in Portland, Ore. In the open division, Canadian Wayne Jackson won both his fights.

About two months later, Green beat Jackson by unanimous decision in a three-round bout at the Hillman gym. Jackson, the Western Canadian champion, is five years younger than Green and has had more than 40 fights.

"He's a good prospect," said Bob Jarvis, who owns the gym and helps train Green. "He's a good athlete who takes to things quickly. He wants to turn professional, but I don't want to make the mistake of turning a guy pro too soon. It's a big misconception that you just have to be big and strong to box."

Green's test will come in March when Seattle will play host to its first sanctioned Golden Gloves event in five years. Jarvis pushed to resume the event. The exact date has yet to be determined, but the event will be held at the Seattle Center Arena.

Jarvis hopes Green will become his gym's first local Golden Gloves champion. Despite his advanced age, Jarvis thinks Green still has a shot at a career.

"Heavyweights tend to have longer careers than lightweights," Jarvis said.

Green will turn 29 in September. He is married, has a 4-year-old daughter and a 6-month-old son.

"It's really up to a person's heart and mind," Green said. "When you get in there and fight, it's pretty much up to you. You're only as strong as your mind lets you be. I've got a young mind. And I've got lots of confidence."