Shannon Briggs Gets Another Shot
By Uncategorized October 30th, 2006Liakhovich/Briggs WBO title fight Saturday night in Arizona
Shannon Briggs gets another chance of a lifetime on Saturday, Nov. 4, when he takes on WBO heavyweight champion Sergei “White Wolf� Liakhovich in Scottsdale, Arizona (Showtime).
Best-known for his bleached dreadlocks, it sometimes feels as though Briggs has been around forever, but, since he believes time is still on his side, he also talks one helluva game.
“It’s funny, because when everyone thinks of me, they think I am old because I fought George Foreman and Lennox Lewis,� said Briggs. “But those fights were when I was very young.�
The six-foot-four-inch Briggs is just 34 years old in an age when heavyweight champs over the age of 30 are not the exception, they’re the rule. And while Briggs has won 11 consecutive fights by KO, those wins were against questionable, not marquee, opposition.
“A lot of guys in my division are in their prime at 34. They think I am an ancient warrior,� Briggs said, “But I feel I am just hitting my prime. I have plenty of fight left in me. I feel invigorated.�
“The people want to see blood,� he continued. They want action. I hate to sound barbaric because I am not that way outside of the ring, but this is a job. The customers are getting what they want.�
“I have never been touted as having great stamina,� Briggs said. “I am training hard, but I am training for a knockout. This is going to be a great fight.�
A kayo artist who seldom goes beyond five rounds, Briggs is not concerned if the fight goes deep.
“I do not worry about it,� he said. “I do not see it as a problem. But it is something I am working on. It is going to take some work on my part to improve my endurance and stamina. I am looking for a tough fight. At the same time, I will be going for a knockout from round one to 12.
“Liakhovich has improved since his knockout loss to Maurice Harris. He took some time off and fought his way back. Now, he is a better fighter. I think that this fight will be the fight of the year. I am confident I can make Liakhovich quit.�
“My career has had ups and downs. I had a nice climb to the top. This is not my last run,� Briggs said, implying that another run at the title might be necessary if Liakhovich doesn’t fall.
“My career has been a great ride. I would not change anything. I am where I am today because of it. I have what I have today because of what I have gone through. If I would have knocked out Lewis in that first or second round, I might not be here now. I might have been blown away in ashes.”
October 30th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Tell me again who Briggs beat to get this title shot?????????? Oh, nobody. Just checking.
Long live Don King, apparently.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Shake those cob-webs from your head, Briggs…..oh you mean you still fantasizing about your great knock-out on Saturday. I must say, your going to definitely go throught the test and I project a hardy beginning in the fight with both fighters I project a nice comfortable KO by Liakhovich over this load, obnoxious, overly confident Briggs. He may even get to take a cut back to his home town and tell the folks he slipped in the shower. Briggs will not be able to see the forest for the trees because of his grandiose perception of who he is, good-luck on Saturday evening. I wish I could help scrape you off the mat.
October 31st, 2006 at 9:14 am
I hope Briggs gets his but whooped, he had a little talent in the beginning of his career but now he is just a notch in the belt for Liakhovich
October 31st, 2006 at 10:00 am
I think Briggs has a lot of talent and he very nearly did knock Lennox out, unfortunately for him this ridiculous boxing politics that runs the sport kept him out of contention. Briggs is no pauper or junkee and does not have an addiction to making an idiot of himself outside the ring. You have to give him respect for that and I also believe that he would give any of the current champions bar Vladimir a lot of trouble. I wish him luck on Saturday.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:05 pm
Briggs is a long time favorite with hardcore boxing fans. Yes, he has had very questionable opposition as of late, but he has also been worthy of a title shot for a long time coming. And who else would you rank as the #1 contender right now of the heavyweights out there and don’t tell me an in shape Tyson could come back and clean up the division it only makes you sound stupid. Oh, may bad, theres always Owen “What the Heck” Beck.
October 31st, 2006 at 6:08 pm
I agree with busy bee. Briggs has fought some less than stellar opposition as of late but one for the sake of staying busy… something which mosy top 10 fighters don’t like to do. Also consider that most top ten fighters do not want to fight Briggs for they know he will probably land that one punch that puts them to sleep. Briggs by KO in 5.
-Superman
October 31st, 2006 at 6:19 pm
I think some might confuse Briggs bulkiness with punching power. Liakhovich
will beat Briggs easily. Briggs can beat the Owen Beck’s but might have trouble with the Guinns those types of caliber heavyweights.Liakhovich is young and just getting started.Liakhovich wins by mid to late round knockout.
October 31st, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Doesn’t seem to be cocky to me, just confident. There’s a big difference. He didn’t say anything like this guy doesn’t belong in the ring with me or anything.
October 31st, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Wanye… are you honestly trying to say that a man with 41 knockouts out of his 47 wins, an 87% knockout ratio, not to mention 29 of those coming in the first round, doesn’t have punching power, and that its just bulkiness? Maybe you should watch some of those knockouts, theyre pretty brutal. He even hurt Lewis, something which is not easy to do. Briggs indeed has some serious, true power, and I feel he will unleash it on Liakhovich.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:58 pm
briggs does have real power. thats why he is not slated to fight vladimir right now. manny said it himself he was more worried about a briggs fight than he was against peter. because briggs has power and can fight he may not be able to make it 12 rounds but we will see. peter can bite hard but has no talent. sergie has a beard on him. in my eyes he proved himself against lamont. he took some shots that fight. i think lamont is now being overlooked as because of his loss. lamont in my oppinion is better than maskaev and the giant,