Robert Berridge
Whanganui expat boxer Robert Berridge will mix business with pleasure when he meets Auckland's Adrian Taihia in the main event of the Judgment Day show at ASB Stadium in the Auckland suburb of Kohimarama tonight.
Berridge (28-5-1) will defend his NZPBA light heavyweight belt against long-time detractor Taihia (15-2-2) in a grudge match that has taken more than three years to finally culminate in a bout.
Bad blood between the pair goes back to April 2013.
At that time, Berridge was first awarded the vacant NZPBA belt and commented to the Wanganui Chronicle that he was frustrated no top fighters in New Zealand could or would face him.
"We offered numerous challenges and they turned it down," Berridge said.
"Not just once, but numerous times. They all said they weren't prepared for it, wasn't the right time, wasn't the right show."
This set off Taihia, who was quoted regularly in other media that he had tried to get the bout through Berridge's manager Vasco Kovacevic and later through his handlers at that time, Duco Events.
"Things started turning sour when Robbie said no-one in New Zealand wanted to fight him," Taihia said.
"That wasn't true. There were a lot of us that wanted to fight him."
The pair were then linked to fight a number of times over the next 12 months, only for both be ruled out by injuries.
An in-ring confrontation after a Berridge victory on the undercard of the Joseph Parker versus Afa Tatupu bout in October 2013 only heightened the rivalry.
Taihia spending a year in jail for being a party to the manufacturing of methamphetamine later took the fight completely off the table.
Now the rivals have been linked up by CTP Boxing, who put the match together back in May, and Taihia again fanned the flames last week when he called the Berridge camp arrogant and lacking respect.
"Come Friday night you'll get your wish Adrian, every time I step in that ring I respect my opponent," was Berridge's response on his Facebook page.
"You should have stayed in your weight class," he added, referring to Taihia being the NZPBA super middleweight title holder.
Cousin and occasional trainer Paul Berridge will head up from Tauranga for tonight's fight and said "The Butcher" was ready to go.
"What we've seen of Rob in the last few weeks, he's definitely focused and doing a lot of work.
"He didn't have to put in too much more from what he did to prepare for Sam Rapira."
Berridge defeated the well-regarded Taranaki fighter Rapira by unanimous decision in New Plymouth on September 16, while Taihia comes off a split decision loss to Sefo Falekaono in August.
Paul Berridge felt at this stage of their careers, Rapira posed a bigger challenge than Taihia, however the years of trash talk had given tonight's bout the higher profile.
"There's a lot of history behind this - the anticipation.
"It's not going to be a walk in the park, but when he finds his pace and his workrate, that diesel engine keeps going.
"His actions do the talking, and how active Rob's been in the last few fights."
The matchup will headline a six-fight card.