Paul Briggs is counted out after just 29 seconds. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
Paul Briggs was something of a childhood hero of mine. Only four years separated us, but it might as well have been twenty, so much further down the path to being a man did he seem to be.
I was getting too many injuries playing rugby, so my Dad dragged me along to the gym to build myself up. It was a working man’s gym located in one of Brisbane’s uglier industrial areas, about as far removed from Fitness First as you could get, where free weights outnumbered machines under posters of Dorian Yates and Playboy centrefolds.
Paul was my trainer and the star of the gym.
His kickboxing exploits had been earning him attention during his teenage years and a herd of kids like me lined up to be taught by him.
Towards the back of a gym was an elevated ring where Paul and his brother Nathan trained relentlessly at Muay Thai. Nathan always reminded me of Dolph Lundgren; a huge man with features plucked straight from a Nazi propaganda poster.
He looked like he should have been the better fighter of the siblings, but there was always something special about Paul.
In later years, I would be able to identify it as his ability to immerse himself in brutality without losing his focus or self control. A cold fury.
As a kick boxer, he could best be described as a kicking boxer.
Most kick boxers simply do not defend properly against quick, repeated jabs, preferring to concentrate on delivering the big showy roundhouse kicks of Jean-Claude Van Damme movies. Paul was first and foremost a boxer and in the time it took his unlucky opponent to deliver a kick he would have landed a three or four punch combo to the head.
This disdain for the risks of unnecessary flair reminded me of other miserly sporting heroes like Allan Border and Michael Lynagh and there was something definitively Australian about it.
I followed his career with interest and would stand with my chin on the bottom rope and watch him train. It was wonderful to see a local boy from a working class neighbourhood do so well and I can remember the excitement of his first world title bout against one of Thailand’s best.
Paul was nearly hobbled in the fight as his opponent kicked the inside of his knee repeatedly, like David Foster knocking his way through a block of wood.
By the end, Paul couldn’t walk and was wobbling on one leg when his father finally threw in the towel.
Now there was a hard bastard. I’ll never forget the look on his old man’s face; that sacred pride in a well-defeated son.
That was the last time I saw Paul, but I remember hearing that he had fallen out with his Dad and landed himself into some trouble.
Little did I know the depths of it.
I was happy to see him revive his boxing talents and watched intently his first bout with Tomasz Adamek. The sheer brutality of the match was shocking but it was not surprising. Boxing rarely throws up such perfectly matched opponents and for fans of the sport it remains a must see.
Though he lost this fight and the subsequent rematch most impartial fans would have been happy to see the second bout go either way. The manner of his loss was such that the result did his profile little harm and things looked up for him. His time, it seemed, had come.
These recollections are not presented as a defence against what happened against Danny Green.
He was always a hard man to know and I don’t claim to have known him well, but I don’t expect any amount of media speculation will make any real headway into the mind of Paul Briggs.
I just couldn’t help but use this forum to express my regret that boxing stories rarely have happy endings.
For what it is worth, I’d rather remember him as an astonishingly brutal and relentless fighter, an aloof and hardworking sportsman, and a kind guy who never once laughed at just how few of his father’s weights I ever troubled.
DIgger
Guest
Just searching the web and came across this article about The Hurricane. Great article Garth! I am a massive fan of Paul's and was shsttered to see his legacy to the fight game destroyed in one night of madness. I don't know how or why it happened but just wish it hadn't. I guess only Paul knows the truth. He had a great kickboxing career and at his peak I believe he was probably good enough to be the world light heavyweight boxing champ. I really enjoyed his comments as a guest commentator on Fox and as a trainer on the Contender. I feel sad for Paul that this fight will ruin his future work prospects in the media. Sadly, I doubt he will ever get another opportunity in the media. Regardless of what happened I'll remember 'The Hurricane' as one of our great fighters. Just my opinion.
Rob
Guest
Mick (above)- u said it all. Its amazing that the aussie public are so dumb when it comes to boxing- yes, we lead the world in many sports, but in boxing the amount of lies that make guys like Green, the pathetic Shannon Taylor, Mundine (who I actually think is a good boxer), Nadar Hamden et al, is titanic. The amount of times I have cringed watching boxing on foxsports, where aussies are fighting half starved Asians who were clearly in another lower wight division, and then billing it as a 'catchweight' fight...ughhh I still feel sick. I boycotted the aussie fight game about 6 years ago, and soon thereafter came across a brilliant article by an aussie writer in a boxing website call Brad someone- he did an expose on aussie boxing where he proved the most recent top billed fights around that time had an opponent record of something like 111 losses to 3 wins!!! these were the guys the aussie boxers were choosing to look good against!! thats slavery!! Is it any wonder that no aussie boxer in the last few years, apart from a russian and an armenian, has been ever close to a top pond for pound list on any world boxing site? is is any wonder that our boxers never beat the world top 10 rated boxers? No, instead they pull the wool over the aussie public, and we all stupidly think they are soooo good. They're not, people- they suck. Go watch Sahnnon fight Mosley, Fenech fight Azumah (when he recovered from deadly malaria and whipped fenech BAD), Mundine vs Ottke who was not even that good, Green vs Bayer who also while honest like Ottke was never a truly great fighter. I could name more. Its a disgrace that Green tried it one more time- that tirade he pulled after the fight abusing Briggs and calling him a canine- he has no respect for Paul- a rare, good aussie boxer. Funny, Green was interviewed by Ken Sutcliffe and was asked why he took the fight, and Green blamed Briggs and co, saying 'no one told me *sob sob* that he wasnt in condition to fight! Briggs and his corner had a duty of care to tell me!' Really Danny? And what, the Commission in NSW, the highest authority in the east, didnt tell you that, u idiot??! They did tell him that, but in his arrogant lying way, he brought it here to dullsville where people have more money than brains. The best thing is Briggs didnt lose his life in that ring. Honestly. then again, that wouldnt have stopped the filthy aussie boxing scene.
Mick
Guest
I do not know what is worse 1. Danny Green slagging off the NSW authorities for refusing to sanction the fight on medical grounds 2. WA authorities sanctioning the fight 3. How a man who has not been in the ring for more than 3 years gets a title shot, what happened to number 1, 2,3 etc contenders 4. If this fight was not a fix it can only mean Briggs must have some serious medical issues 5. Green being disrespectful to Briggs immediately after the fight but the next day says it was a legitimate knockout yet does not apologise to Briggs for his comments There are so many more questions that need answers but good luck to Green on your future promoter career as a promoter & best wishes to Briggs if he does have medical issues
sheek
Guest
Good to hear from you again, Garth. And a nice story showing the human side to what has become both a farce & a tragedy.
Forgetmenot
Guest
Boxing is dying everywhere. UFC is taking over. It surpassed boxing 4 years ago. It is a great sport to watch.
Bulldog Brower
Guest
Watch wrestling - it has more credibility Sadly, I'm not joking
Ess
Guest
This is bar far the best article in the last few days regarding Paul Briggs. (and the feedback too) Of course for the most part the media is crapping all over the man for the Green bout as are the majority of people posting feedback. I just saw an online poll asking 'do you think you could have beaten Paul Briggs last night?' a) yes b) yes, but only on points'......so ridiculous..... And it all just proves that most people have no idea of both his achievements as a fighter and his titanic struggles early in life. Most of us only know of the man what has been revealed in his biography but anyone that has read it will most certainly have a profound respect for Paul. To begin fighting so competitively at the age he did it doesnt surprise me one bit that he would be ready to stop much sooner than some others and that he may just be completely mentally and physically over it much sooner. And thats what he obviously was and i actually felt great for him after reading his book to know that he had now been able to get away from the fighting. Despite being a huge fan of him as both a kick boxer and boxer im more just a fan of him as a human being in general, he has nothing really to prove as a fighter but can still do so much with his life. I can't think of anyone who deserved a big paycheck from a fight, after all the ones he would have done for peanuts at his peak, like Paul Briggs. And i can't think of a fighter more undeserved of the treatment he's getting right now than Paul Briggs, regardless of what happened the other night. Thanks for the article and quite a few of you for some decent input, good to know there are still some decent boxing fans and human beings about!
Nathan Harris
Guest
Am a huge fan of Paul Briggs, he in his day was a true warrior and indeed in his day would've whipped Green on Green's best night. So sad the two wars with Adamek undoubtedly took there toll. He's still one of my favourite boxers of all time. Much like Michael Katsidis he went overseas and took on the best not hid in Australia and beat up on bums. Will never lose my respect Paul i'm sure there were motives for what happened but one night doesn't ruin a stellar career.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Yet again a sad demise of a great fighter, I too have followed his career, it seems boxers end up this way a lot of times. It's something in the head that says to them they are never beaten until they are badly embarrased. SAD isn't it. My sons and I have been in a number of rounds as amateaurs and it is a great sport, teaching disipline and manners, but it does have its side effects, when in the pro ranks too many punches to the head and there you go, like Ali.
Hanzo
Guest
Great read. Boxing is dying a slow painful death around the world. As a sport it's too disjointed and no person or organization is wiling to reach into their own pocket to fix it. Mixed martial arts is the fightsport of the future.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Thanks for the article Garth. A great read that explores the true depth of the story, unlike the beatups yesterday which heaped scorn on the man. I feel for Briggs.
Paddy
Guest
Good article Garth. I don't think people realise how incredibly talented Briggs was. I was hoping that Briggs would have one last blaze of glory to show us how good he was and how good he could have been. Sadly all that is lost now.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Hi Mals, yeah, didn't personally fork out for the reasons you outline, but this one wasn't even worth the trip to the pub, let alone forking out my hard earned. Bring on more live UFC in Australia!
Mals
Guest
Green already had called Briggs a canine at the end of the fight. He didn't apologise for it the next day. What would Green have achieved by "double dogging" him?
Redb
Roar Guru
Message to Danny Green, that flickering light in the far distance is your career as a promoter.
ptovey01
Roar Pro
No respect for greene now. He should have just stuck to his guns and called Briggs a dog.
Mals
Roar Rookie
No disrespect Hutcho but yeah you are the mug if bought this on pay per view or went to the bout. This was always going to be a watch at the pub/club fight.
Mals
Roar Rookie
Garth, i enjoyed this piece nice work! I'm the same age as Briggs & have followed his career from the beginning, read his book etc. He's lived 2 "normal" lifetimes in his 34 years. Maybe that's why he appeared closer to 44 than 34 (no disrespect) when he climbed into the ring on Wednesday night. Danny looked the younger, more purposeful fighter. Do you think it was money that was the single purpose for him to take this fight at relatively short notice against such a strong opponent? How deep are his financial problems? Even before the fight started i could see no fire or hunger in Paul's eyes.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
What a disgrace and then to attempt to explain it all away this morning, essentially claiming this was a Briggs charity event. In seems that Briggs wasn’t the mug after all, rather in an event that has become common place in Australian boxing, the paying punter is. That’s it for me. Never again will I watch an Australian promoted fight.