http://www.smh.com.au/sport/boxing/s...722-10n2e.html
Staggering truth: cash-strapped Briggs was not fit to fight
SO SEVERE were Paul Briggs's neurological problems in the weeks leading up to his fight against Danny Green that he was forgetting at which gymnasium he was training and mistaking strangers' cars for his own. His conditioning was so poor that he took one body shot in sparring and vomited.
Briggs's woeful 29-second performance on Wednesday night was not of a man taking a dive, but one who was so desperate for his $200,000 purse he was willing to risk his life in the ring. Briggs, his people, and much of boxing's circle knew the reality of the situation. This was going to be a farce.
But nobody could talk Briggs out of the fight. He was so reliant on the money he went in with a plan of trying to knock out Green with one quick shot, and should he take a punch, give up.
He completely lost his bearings after Green landed a probing left jab to the top of his skull ? a punch that would not have moved a half-fit boxer ? and Briggs said later he was trying to get up, but his body could not respond.
In the dressing room after the fight, Briggs had a conversation with a close friend and later asked those around him who he had just been speaking to, such was his delirium.
This is why Briggs should never have returned to the ring, why the Western Australian Professional Combat Sports Commission should never have sanctioned it when their NSW counterparts refused to, and why the International Boxing Organisation should have rejected any notion of Briggs fighting for one of their titles. A source close to Briggs said yesterday he was "battling".
Green's reputation as a promoter has suffered enormous damage and respected trainer Johnny Lewis slammed the IBO cruiserweight champion for his verbal tirade towards Briggs after the fight.
"I just hope it doesn't get to Paul and he does something silly," said Lewis, who trained Briggs before the 34-year-old was forced to retire in 2007. "I hope he is able to move on. That is why I didn't think it was a good idea for him to be part of this fiasco.
"Everyone was aware of the problems Paul had, but they still went on with the promotion and when the inevitable happened they want to kick him in the guts.
"Paul needs to know we don't think he is a dog, he didn't deserve to be called that."
Lewis said Briggs had both "physical and mental" problems that forced him to retire, and believed his heart was not in it any more.
Green yesterday overturned his initial suspicion that Briggs intentionally went down by saying he had reviewed footage, which assured him he had landed a solid punch.
Briggs's trainer, Billy Hussein, highlighted the lures presented for his charge when questioned about the preparation camp by a Perth radio station yesterday.
"He's not gonna knock back a fight for an IBO world title ever," Hussein said. "The money was great, plus fighting Danny Green on home soil was everything he wanted to do in his life before he retired."
Hussein said Briggs did not take a dive. ??I 100 per cent know for a fact Paul Briggs would never ever do that in his life,?? Hussein said.
"And let me tell you, if I knew, I would never [have got involved with him]."
The IBO has requested an investigation from the West Australian authority. The IBO?s vice-president, Phil Austin, said the body had sanctioned the contest as a world-title bout due to "Briggs's reputation" and after being assured by Briggs?s camp via Green that he was in sound condition during training.
"There was plenty of conjecture over why he retired in the first place, but we?re never going to pay attention to rumours," Austin said.
"We worked closely with the promoters on this, who acted in good faith [from Briggs?s camp]."
But Briggs?s part-time trainer, Jeff Fenech, claimed Green knew of Briggs?s problems.
"Danny Green still said he was fit to fight and he still sold the fight. Then he had the audacity to call him a canine," Fenech said.
"Are they gonna be competitive if they haven?t fought for three-and-a-half years?
"Do you honestly believe that Danny Green thought Paul Briggs would be a threat to him at all?"
Staggering truth: cash-strapped Briggs was not fit to fight
SO SEVERE were Paul Briggs's neurological problems in the weeks leading up to his fight against Danny Green that he was forgetting at which gymnasium he was training and mistaking strangers' cars for his own. His conditioning was so poor that he took one body shot in sparring and vomited.
Briggs's woeful 29-second performance on Wednesday night was not of a man taking a dive, but one who was so desperate for his $200,000 purse he was willing to risk his life in the ring. Briggs, his people, and much of boxing's circle knew the reality of the situation. This was going to be a farce.
But nobody could talk Briggs out of the fight. He was so reliant on the money he went in with a plan of trying to knock out Green with one quick shot, and should he take a punch, give up.
He completely lost his bearings after Green landed a probing left jab to the top of his skull ? a punch that would not have moved a half-fit boxer ? and Briggs said later he was trying to get up, but his body could not respond.
In the dressing room after the fight, Briggs had a conversation with a close friend and later asked those around him who he had just been speaking to, such was his delirium.
This is why Briggs should never have returned to the ring, why the Western Australian Professional Combat Sports Commission should never have sanctioned it when their NSW counterparts refused to, and why the International Boxing Organisation should have rejected any notion of Briggs fighting for one of their titles. A source close to Briggs said yesterday he was "battling".
Green's reputation as a promoter has suffered enormous damage and respected trainer Johnny Lewis slammed the IBO cruiserweight champion for his verbal tirade towards Briggs after the fight.
"I just hope it doesn't get to Paul and he does something silly," said Lewis, who trained Briggs before the 34-year-old was forced to retire in 2007. "I hope he is able to move on. That is why I didn't think it was a good idea for him to be part of this fiasco.
"Everyone was aware of the problems Paul had, but they still went on with the promotion and when the inevitable happened they want to kick him in the guts.
"Paul needs to know we don't think he is a dog, he didn't deserve to be called that."
Lewis said Briggs had both "physical and mental" problems that forced him to retire, and believed his heart was not in it any more.
Green yesterday overturned his initial suspicion that Briggs intentionally went down by saying he had reviewed footage, which assured him he had landed a solid punch.
Briggs's trainer, Billy Hussein, highlighted the lures presented for his charge when questioned about the preparation camp by a Perth radio station yesterday.
"He's not gonna knock back a fight for an IBO world title ever," Hussein said. "The money was great, plus fighting Danny Green on home soil was everything he wanted to do in his life before he retired."
Hussein said Briggs did not take a dive. ??I 100 per cent know for a fact Paul Briggs would never ever do that in his life,?? Hussein said.
"And let me tell you, if I knew, I would never [have got involved with him]."
The IBO has requested an investigation from the West Australian authority. The IBO?s vice-president, Phil Austin, said the body had sanctioned the contest as a world-title bout due to "Briggs's reputation" and after being assured by Briggs?s camp via Green that he was in sound condition during training.
"There was plenty of conjecture over why he retired in the first place, but we?re never going to pay attention to rumours," Austin said.
"We worked closely with the promoters on this, who acted in good faith [from Briggs?s camp]."
But Briggs?s part-time trainer, Jeff Fenech, claimed Green knew of Briggs?s problems.
"Danny Green still said he was fit to fight and he still sold the fight. Then he had the audacity to call him a canine," Fenech said.
"Are they gonna be competitive if they haven?t fought for three-and-a-half years?
"Do you honestly believe that Danny Green thought Paul Briggs would be a threat to him at all?"
