Berridge vs Rapira

Ex-pat Whanganui boxer Robert Berridge continues to take on a busy winter schedule by adding a third fight in as many months as he will take on Taranaki's Sam Rapira in New Plymouth in September.

Just returned from his unanimous points decision loss to No4-ranked Eleider Alvarez in Canada, Berridge (27-5-1) announced via Facebook on Wednesday that he had signed to fight fellow light heavyweight Rapira (15-2).

"Thanks to Sam Rapira for taking this fight, I look forward to it.

"I get a six week training camp so will be good to be fighting at 100 per cent."

Berridge took the fight in Quebec with Alvarez on five days notice.

The southpaw, who has now lost three of his last four fights and seen his world ranking slip to 72nd after being ranked as high as 10th by the WBO, needs to put together a string of winning performances from his New Zealand dates.

He is still scheduled to meet North Shore debutante Ben Vui on August 13, then has the Rapira fight on September 16 at TSB Stadium in New Plymouth.

This will be followed by the grudge match with Adrian Taihia (15-1-2) on October 28.
Rapira, who promotes fights through his own company, is also taking a gamble facing the dangerous puncher in Berridge, but wants to break into the Top 100 for world rankings, currently sitting 115th.