Robert Berridge (left) with NRL star and part-time boxer Paul Gallen after the press conference for the Daniel Geale v Garth Wood fight in Sydney tomorrow night.Photo/Paul Berridge
Robert Berridge (left) with NRL star and part-time boxer Paul Gallen after the press conference for the Daniel Geale v Garth Wood fight in Sydney tomorrow night.Photo/Paul Berridge
Wanganui-born light heavyweight Robert Berridge was keeping his words short and sweet at yesterday's big fight press conference in Sydney, but that could be taken as the calm before the storm.
The Butcher (22-1-1, 18KO) will have the opportunity to right what he and manager Vasco Kovacevic feel was abig injustice when Berridge rematches against tough Aussie Kerry Foley (14-1-1, 12KO) on the undercard of the Daniel Geale v Garth Wood fight at the Horden Pavilion on Wednesday night.
The men fought to a draw in their six-round clash at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in July 2011, with the Berridge camp adamant Foley was almost 2kg over the 82kg weight limit and given an easier time by the referee.
Foley went down twice in the fight, with one of those being ruled a slip.
Since that time, he has been competing in Mixed Martial Arts competition but in his boxing comeback, Foley said he is better than he was two years ago.
The 26-year-old likewise has an issue with claims of a dodgy outcome, and at yesterday's press conference he scoffed at Berridge's view that the judges and boxing commission in Australia had treated the Kiwi unfairly that night.
"It was a draw, and what needs to happen is someone needs to come out with a win.
"There's a lot of conspiracy about the last fight. It's going to be nothing like this time round.
"I know exactly what he fights like and the person that he is, but he's not going to know who I am on the night.
"He's going to get shocked."
Seated at the other end of the table, Berridge had a simple response.
"I just look forward to the fight and getting it on, getting the 'W'.
"You could see that I bashed him over, and it will happen again."
The 29-year-old Berridge's Paba light heavyweight belt will be on the line tomorrow night, with the pressure of a dominant performance evident as his promotor's Duco Events continue trying to manoeuvre him towards a world title shot in the next 12 months.
He will have extra time as this fight will be 12 rounds.
Berridge was hosting an open training session at the Corporate Boxing gym in Sydney's Surry Hills last night.
