madjack
19-09-2002, 01:46 AM
Briggs predicts Kelly's last stand is nigh
By Phil Wilkins - SMH
September 11 2002
Talking the talk: Paul Briggs and Glen Kelly, right. Photo: Tim
Clayton
High noon at the Fox and Lion Hotel on Errol Flynn Boulevard at Sydney's Fox
Studios yesterday, and the man in the black suit was firing bullets, not
throwing bouquets.
Queensland's Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation light-heavyweight
champion Paul Briggs said of Glen Kelly's seven-round stoppage by world
champion Roy Jones jnr last February: "As far as I'm concerned, he
completely s--- himself.
"If you're a fighter, you don't do that. I don't care if you're facing a
pound-for-pound Superman - if you're a fighter, you'll fight anyone.
"I have fought before 40,000 people in Tokyo against some of the scariest
blokes on the planet in kick boxing, getting kneed, elbowed, kicked, not
just punched with gloves on.
"OK, they are not Roy Jones, but those guys were scary. If you are a
fighter, you are only one punch away from winning a fight. It doesn't matter
if you are having the living hell beaten out of you, you have a go.
"As far as I am concerned, Glen Kelly showed his true colours against the
first real boxer he fought."
If words count for anything, the 27-year-old Briggs (17-16-1) will end the
career of the 31-year-old Kelly (30-28-1-1) when they meet next Wednesday
night at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Kelly admitting that if he did not beat
Briggs, he would hang up his gloves.
"If I can't beat Paul, I might as well retire," he conceded with rueful
honesty.
Sometimes modesty is a curse, and perhaps it was a flaw in the fighting
persona of the superbly fit, self-effacing Kelly during his eight-year
professional career, in which he reigned as Australian light-heavyweight
champion between 1997-2000, his only defeat being at the hands of the
brilliant American Jones in Miami.
In what is shaping as the best fight night since Julian Holland stopped
Shannan Taylor at Randwick's Octagon last year, Adelaide-based promoter
Mario Maiolo has organised a splendid program, including an Australian
heavyweight title fight between champion Bob Mirovic and No3-rated Roger
Izonretei.
Briggs has been waiting two years to tangle with Kelly but, with a lucrative
world title bout with Jones in the offing, he understood why Kelly did not
wish to touch gloves with him.
"Before he fought Roy Jones, I was a danger man, and if I was in his
position, I wouldn't have fought me either," Briggs said.
"To be honest, I think our fight will be anti-climactic, purely because Glen
was exposed when he fought Roy Jones.
"I have been fighting professionally since I was 15 and it takes a lot
psychologically to come back from a loss like that, for [Kelly] to be
defeated within himself, and then think he can stand in front of someone
like me, not an average fighter, and do well."
Whatever the speed and slashing combinations of Anthony Mundine, Australian
boxing is well served with fighters like Paul Briggs, Glen Kelly, Danny
Green, Nader Hamdan, Hussein Hussein and Vic Darchinyan.
Kelly said: "This is the fight Australia has been waiting to see. He
deserves his opportunity to get where I am.
"This is make or break time for me. I'm not looking beyond this fight."
Briggs said: "To be the best, you have to beat the best. It's a step up in
class and I'm thankful for the opportunity.
"I'm not looking to make any predictions. We are looking at a very
frustrating 12-round war.
"Glen Kelly has been the best light-heavyweight in Australia, and he's about
to be dethroned.
"After I win this fight, Roy Jones is not immediately in my plans. I have
other top-10 fighters I want to fight first.
"No-one is unbeatable. Roy is very hard to beat. He has every belt worth
having, but he's a man, he's human. Roy Jones is getting better with age but
he's got two arms and a heartbeat. I believe in beating the unbeatable."
By Phil Wilkins - SMH
September 11 2002
Talking the talk: Paul Briggs and Glen Kelly, right. Photo: Tim
Clayton
High noon at the Fox and Lion Hotel on Errol Flynn Boulevard at Sydney's Fox
Studios yesterday, and the man in the black suit was firing bullets, not
throwing bouquets.
Queensland's Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation light-heavyweight
champion Paul Briggs said of Glen Kelly's seven-round stoppage by world
champion Roy Jones jnr last February: "As far as I'm concerned, he
completely s--- himself.
"If you're a fighter, you don't do that. I don't care if you're facing a
pound-for-pound Superman - if you're a fighter, you'll fight anyone.
"I have fought before 40,000 people in Tokyo against some of the scariest
blokes on the planet in kick boxing, getting kneed, elbowed, kicked, not
just punched with gloves on.
"OK, they are not Roy Jones, but those guys were scary. If you are a
fighter, you are only one punch away from winning a fight. It doesn't matter
if you are having the living hell beaten out of you, you have a go.
"As far as I am concerned, Glen Kelly showed his true colours against the
first real boxer he fought."
If words count for anything, the 27-year-old Briggs (17-16-1) will end the
career of the 31-year-old Kelly (30-28-1-1) when they meet next Wednesday
night at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Kelly admitting that if he did not beat
Briggs, he would hang up his gloves.
"If I can't beat Paul, I might as well retire," he conceded with rueful
honesty.
Sometimes modesty is a curse, and perhaps it was a flaw in the fighting
persona of the superbly fit, self-effacing Kelly during his eight-year
professional career, in which he reigned as Australian light-heavyweight
champion between 1997-2000, his only defeat being at the hands of the
brilliant American Jones in Miami.
In what is shaping as the best fight night since Julian Holland stopped
Shannan Taylor at Randwick's Octagon last year, Adelaide-based promoter
Mario Maiolo has organised a splendid program, including an Australian
heavyweight title fight between champion Bob Mirovic and No3-rated Roger
Izonretei.
Briggs has been waiting two years to tangle with Kelly but, with a lucrative
world title bout with Jones in the offing, he understood why Kelly did not
wish to touch gloves with him.
"Before he fought Roy Jones, I was a danger man, and if I was in his
position, I wouldn't have fought me either," Briggs said.
"To be honest, I think our fight will be anti-climactic, purely because Glen
was exposed when he fought Roy Jones.
"I have been fighting professionally since I was 15 and it takes a lot
psychologically to come back from a loss like that, for [Kelly] to be
defeated within himself, and then think he can stand in front of someone
like me, not an average fighter, and do well."
Whatever the speed and slashing combinations of Anthony Mundine, Australian
boxing is well served with fighters like Paul Briggs, Glen Kelly, Danny
Green, Nader Hamdan, Hussein Hussein and Vic Darchinyan.
Kelly said: "This is the fight Australia has been waiting to see. He
deserves his opportunity to get where I am.
"This is make or break time for me. I'm not looking beyond this fight."
Briggs said: "To be the best, you have to beat the best. It's a step up in
class and I'm thankful for the opportunity.
"I'm not looking to make any predictions. We are looking at a very
frustrating 12-round war.
"Glen Kelly has been the best light-heavyweight in Australia, and he's about
to be dethroned.
"After I win this fight, Roy Jones is not immediately in my plans. I have
other top-10 fighters I want to fight first.
"No-one is unbeatable. Roy is very hard to beat. He has every belt worth
having, but he's a man, he's human. Roy Jones is getting better with age but
he's got two arms and a heartbeat. I believe in beating the unbeatable."