Danny Green's December defence of his WBC Interim super-middleweight championship in Perth has been called OFF.

Mikkel Kessler

But Green's promoter, Justin Manolikos, believes it might be just "mind games" by Mikkel Kessler's manager-promoter, Mogens Palle.

Word that Mikkel Kessler won't come appeared on the Scandanavian website, www.risumboxing.dk. Boxing writer, Teddy Stenmark reported:

"Mogens Palle conceded it was official that the talented Dane was going to travel Down Under to challenge the Aussie.

But Palle now makes it clear that this is not going to happen anyway.

"Said Palle: 'When the deadline for purse offers expired, only our offer was on the table. The Australian bid did not come until a couple of hours later, and was then a little higher than ours. That's not acceptable!

"'So we are not prepared to send Mikkel to Australia. Why should we, when the fight in reality should be fought in Denmark?'"

Why should they come? For one, Kessler will be paid more here.

FOL understands that the Perth promoting group bidded US $611,000 as the combined purse for the two boxers. And Palle bidded US $585,000.

In Melbourne last night, World Boxing Council international secretary Frank Quill told FOL:

"If the Australian bid was lodged late, the Palle bid would have won.

"Bid offers in sealed envelopes are presented in the Mexico City offices of the WBC, and strictly observed.

"For whatever reason, Kessler evidently does not want to keep the Perth date."

Pressed for possible reason, Mr Quill said: "Perhaps he does not like air travel."

Perth promoter Justin Manolikos reads the Palle ploy as "mind games." The Danes might hope Danny would relax if they sent word it was off.

"If they do not fulfil the contract with Danny, then they will lose contender ranking and drop out of sight.

"We would just move the December date back to January and take on the Beyer-Sanavia winner for the title outright."

Most Aussies will reach the conclusion that the Danes are dodging Green on his home turf.

Green fights this Wednesday evening at Penrith Panthers, only his second bout in 2004. The opponent, a 27-5 Argentino, Omar Eduardo Gonzalez.