By Bradley Yeh

On October the 7th, 2006, Paul Briggs fights Tomasz Adamek for his WBC light heavyweight title. This will not be the first time they have met. Midway through last year, both Briggs & Adamek hailed bombs on each other for the WBC light heavyweight title in a volatile encounter that operated from the “storms-centre” for almost the entire 12 rounds. The bout was full of excitement and extremely highly charged, so much so that some felt the brutality was excessive. Considering that  “brutality” and “boxing” are seldom anything but synonymous, this should give the reader a hint at what to expect with this year’s upcoming return-title bout between Briggs & Adamek.

Adamek won the 2005 title fight against Briggs via a points decision and Briggs has tried everything in his power to get Adamek back into the ring ever since. Briggs has expressed disappointment at how unsuccessful those attempts have been, particularly considering the closeness and controversy of their 2005 fight, and until now it seemed as if Adamek didn’t want to chance a rematch with Briggs. Conversely Adamek has cited legal matters as his reasoning for the delay with signing a rematch contract.

Given that backdrop, the disparity between Briggs and Adamek’s opinions regarding their 2005 WBC light heavyweight title fight, and the wait Briggs has endured, there is no absolutely no reason to think that Paul Briggs (or Tomasz Adamek) will give less this time around when they meet at the Allstate Arena this October for the WBC light heavyweight title showdown.

By comparison to some boxers, Paul Briggs can be considered the quiet achiever, he gives performance priority over media assignments and frequently challenges himself with genuine competition for the tier at which he operates.

Paul “Hurricane” Briggs is an Australian residing in Sydney campaigning as a light heavyweight boxer. His record is 27, fights, 25 wins, 18 wins by KO, 2 losses. Recently Briggs fought Argentinian Jose Alberto Clavero (31, fights, 27 wins, 13 wins by KO, 4 losses) in Brisbane. The Argentinian, refused to continue after 5 rounds. Most of Briggs fights finish before the last round. He is an extremely determined puncher-boxer and this series describes his ascension to world title contention.

Paul Briggs came right into the very forefront of most Australian boxing minds in October 2000 at the Seagulls League Club in New South Wales when he steamed through Tosca Petridis in only 1 round. The achievement was an event that opened the boxing fraternity’s eyes wide at the time. Sometimes it takes a nightmare to wake you up and Briggs was certainly Tosca’s nightmare.

To describe Briggs in that fight, picture an armoured bulldozer in top gear at full throttle on a downhill run, taking pieces out of everything in its way. Heavy armour, revolving tank-tracks, re-enforced steel, chopping blade, and absolutely no suspension. Most landscapes are without material extending from the ground that doesn’t surrender to that kind of raw bludgeoning force. Tosca Petridis was no exception.

Identical or similar visions surely must have not been too far removed from the theatre of consciousness within the Australian boxing mind. Such was the outpour of Briggs’ force and belligerence. With Petridis, Paul Briggs introduced himself in an explosive and undying fashion, not just to onlookers but also to Tosca Petridis. Briggs, like an armoured bulldozer, practically cleared the Australian boxing landscape within his weight division in that single devastating round, as most other operators in the light heavyweight division got the message as the result resonated through their aspirations. Briggs was no-one’s stepping stone.

Aside from its swiftness and purpose, the destruction of Petridis had additional significance; Tosca from Melbourne had 5 years previously beaten Iran Barkely, who himself had been twice successful against the famous Detriot hit-man Mr Thomas Hearns.

Briggs’ win over Petridis was reinforced by these matters of inheritance and legacy commonly associated with prevailing over rivals who themselves have cut wakes across the boxing landscape as they’ve moved forward willing themselves to win. Reversing chronology to define what Briggs had become heir to with the slaughter of Petridis in 2000 - Barkley himself had, beaten Hearns once by KO, and also once by a split decision. Hearns was well past the glory days of changing careers with perfect right cross deliveries when Barkley had met him, but he was still a dangerous and experienced threat that was not without its challenges for both confidence and skill. In addition Barkely had also shared the ring with, James Toney, Nigel Benn, Michael Nunn and Henry Maske. Barkely swapped leather with this level of opposition prior to Petridis sharing a canvass footing with him and winning a UD over 10 rounds.

Put in that context, Paul Briggs' 7th professional fight resulting in a 1st round KO win against Tosca Petridis was the equivalent of a supernovae for the domestic scene of professional boxing in Australia. It was an impressive demonstration that produced a thunderous and explosive outcome that awoke everyone’s senses. Put simply; it set the status quo for Brigg’s mode of operation.

But it didn’t stop there. Dominating performances from prospects are usually synonymous with praise but also pepperings of reservation. Such is boxing, and questions flowed from Australian boxing aficionados; “yes impressive but what can he do on the world stage? How far can he go? Who’s left here to measure him by”?

By way of metaphor, demeanour and also action, in response, Briggs said, “let me show you”. He had a plan.

Whilst some other fighters carefully drew up managed plans for ascension Briggs threw his action plan for succession on the table in full view. The plan was labelled “who’s in my way is precisely who’s next”. The plan wasn’t announced at a podium, or with a media-frenzy, as is normally the case. Briggs didn’t need to say it as such. Everything that was Briggs silently confirmed the strategy with more authority than spoken communication. Why talk about it when you can do it? Right? 

For a professional fighter in Australia looking across the Atlantic Ocean at the bigger fish, if you're the Australian champion and taking counsel from Jeff Fenech, then that’s commonly considered as not a bad place to be. The formulas pretty straightforward, you keep winning and Jeff can get you on canvass in a ring surrounded by the right people in the right country for the right title. Not everyone can do that for you when it counts, even if you win. Glenn Kelly understood this and he liked the work. In 2000 the team of Dino Billinghurst and Kelly enjoyed being considered at the top of the light heavyweight mountain in Australian boxing.

At the time, Glen Kelly was from La Perouse in Sydney Australia and he was known as the man to beat for Australian bragging rights in the weight divisions that accommodated both Briggs and himself. Paul Briggs didn’t like it though. However it did suit Briggs’ action plan, “who’s in my, is precisely who’s next”.

Needless to say, Kelly was next and Briggs wasn’t loosing sleep about the challenge.

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