Briggs earns title fight

Press, 12 July 1979, Page 30

Briggs earns title fight

After waiting patiently in the wings for some years without gaining a national professional title fight, the Canterbury boxer, Eric Briggs, is to meet Lance Revill for the New Zealand light heavyweight championship. The fight, over 15 threeminute rounds, will be held at the Caledonian Hall on September 9. The purse, as yet undisclosed, is believed to be substantial.

Briggs and Revill have met once before, late last year, with Briggs emerging from 10 rounds of heavy battling with a handsome points victory. Since then, a very fit Revill won possession of the title by easily accounting for Alex Sua.

Before meeting Briggs, Revill has a prior com-

moment to defend his championship against Peter Clay at Dunedin on July 25. Steps have been taken to ensure that if Clay upsets Revill, Briggs will remain a prime title contender.

Should Briggs, a superbly tough and resolute boxer, wrest possession of the light heavy-weight crown, he is almost certain to turn his attention to the national middleweight championship. To become a dual titleholder he would probably have to face the inter-nationally-experienced. Monty Betham.

Such is the present form of Briggs, who has been undefeated for the last two seasons, it is not inconceivable that his ambition could carry him to wins over Revill and Betham.