Headline News:

Briggs regains his hunger

Australia’s greatest fight trainer Johnny Lewis says his light-heavyweight destroyer Paul Briggs has regained the hunger of his early career and is ready to finally win a world title.
Briggs monstered current light-heavyweight champ Stipe Drews in Sydney in 2004 but did not show the same burning desire in losing two decisions in WBC title bouts with Thomas Adamek and looked less than his best against South African Rupert van Aswegen (pictured) in his last bout on February 4.
Briggs (26-3, 18 KOs) now faces Argentina’s Hugo Hernan Garay at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on September 8 on the Fernando Vargas-Ricardo Mayorga card.
Garay (28-2, 15 KOs) has twice gone close in WBO title fights with Hungary’s undefeated champ Zsolt Erdei and Lewis knows his man will need the performance of a lifetime to win.
``Paul is going in with a very creditable opponent,’’ Lewis said.
``Garay is a very good fighter with a great record who, with a bit of luck, could be an undefeated world champ.
``But Paul is mentally a lot more focused than he ahs been for a couple of years and he’s training very well. He’s also doing a lot of strength work with Corey Bocking, who is one of Australia’s top personal trainers.
``Paul knows that if he beats Garay he will go on to win the big one, the world title that’s eluded him for so long.
``He knows it’s time to go for gold and not pussyfoot around anymore.’’

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