Shannon Briggs Meets Sultan Ibragimov
By Uncategorized November 28th, 2006Team Ibragimov outbids Don King for Shannon Briggs fight
Seminole Warriors Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, Golden Grain Promotions and Sampson Lewkowicz won the promotional rights to the WBO heavyweight championship bout between their fighter, unbeaten Sultan Ibragimov, and the champion from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Shannon “The Cannon� Briggs.
The winning bid from Team Ibragimov was $2,501,000. Briggs’ promoter, Don King, came in second at $1,501,000.
“This is what happens when a team comes together and makes a concerted effort to get things done,� said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “We put together a spectacular bid, won it, and now we’re going to get right to work to secure a venue and put on the best show we possibly can for fight fans around the world.�
“From the moment I first saw him fight, I knew Sultan Ibragimov had the tools to become a world champion,� said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya. “Now, we’re on the brink of seeing him fulfill his destiny by defeating Shannon Briggs and winning the WBO heavyweight title.�
“The heavyweight championship is the most prestigious title in sports, and part of reestablishing it in the minds of the public is to promote it properly,� said Ibragimov’s manager Boris Grinberg. “I am confident that the promotion of this fight will once again show why the heavyweight champion is truly the greatest athlete in the world.�
“All the business is done and now I can focus on training my hardest and knocking out Shannon Briggs,� said Ibragimov. “I have been waiting a long time for this moment, but all the sacrifices will be worth it when I get to put that WBO belt around my waist.�
November 29th, 2006 at 3:48 am
Though I don’t know of anyone who thinks of Briggs in terms of greatness, Ibragimov’s going to need to come into this bout in way better condition than he was for Ray Austin if he expects to win this match. Sultan can punch, but he seemed almost sluggish at times in his last fight and was sporting a noticeable spare tire around his middle section. Dare I say ‘love handles’?
November 29th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
love handles do not fight man,that is nothing.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Love handles may not fight, but they are a clear indication that a fighter has come into a match in less than optimum condition. Any athlete who enters a contest carrying excess flab is an athlete who is not in optimum condition and is clearly compromising his chances of winning.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
See James Toney for an example of what Jake is talking about. All the skill in the world, but not enough discipline to maximize the skill.
November 30th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Sultan is going to get swatted out of the park by Briggs. Sultan doesn’t bode much of a chance in this contest. Hats off to Briggs for not resting on his laurels and taking on all comers.
November 30th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Wouldn’t offensive linemen and Sumo wrestlers qualify as athletes that actually benefit from excessive flab in their respective sports?
November 30th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Briggs should beat the mediocre Ibragimov without too much of a struggle. Now that he’s aligned with Don King, he should have a clear path to unifying all the belts in the HW division. Looking at the other beltholders, I don’t see anyone who would pose much of a threat to Briggs. Don’t get me wrong here as I know Briggs is nothing special. It’s just that the other title holders are even worse than he is. I think it goes without saying that the all important heavyweight division of boxing has hit rock bottom since the retirement of Lennox Lewis & it’s likely going to take a while before enough promising new talent emerges to see things get a whole lot better.
December 1st, 2006 at 5:51 am
Shannon should have an easy fight, if he comes to the fight well conditioned. Ibragimov didn’t impress me much when he fought Ray Austin on ESPN2. In fact, I though Ray won that fight, which if my memory serves me correctly, ended in a draw. Shannon has much better experience than Ibragimov, but should train as if he were fighting Lennox Lewis, because Briggs seems to only go to the ring expecting to finish the fight within four rounds. When he knocked out Liakovich, it was as if he was running on fumes - talk about your lucky punch!
December 2nd, 2006 at 5:56 pm
The beltholder Briggs wants to meet more than anyone is Klitschko, who recently backed out of a match with him to defend his title against the non-threatening Calvin Brock. Shannon knows full well that the weak chinned & slow starting W-Klit would be made to order for him. It would be much like the Corrie Sanders fight all over again. I personally wouldn’t expect W-Klit to see the third round in a match against Briggs.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:47 am
Let’s see O’neil Bell
get a shot at one of these so callled heavyweight champions!
February 7th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Briggs has his work cut out for him. I hope he’s not going into this fight over confident. This guy Ibragimov means buisiness. IF it goes the distance, Biggs will get out pointed easily by the Sultan of Swing. If Briggs somehow pulls out the win and gets to face Klitschko, his reign as champ will end there. Klitschko will easily KO Briggs, most likely in the 6th 7th 8th round, he’s got no heart and it shows in his conditioning.
February 21st, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Briggs is gonna knock ibragimov out sultan is a sluggish defensive type european fighter and hes too slow to pose any type of threat to an even slower briggs.Liakovich was basically kind of the same fighter as ibragimov. I think briggs ends this one between 8-10.
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Briggs problem with asthma is said to worsening to the point that he may be pondering retirement. It’s amazing that he’s been able to achieve what he has considering his being an asthmatic in the first place. I feel he deserves tremendous credit for what he’s already accomplished despite suffering through this brutal respiratory disease.
June 2nd, 2007 at 4:44 am
i sure hope shannon wins this one, im betting 2000 on him.
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
hahahahahah, briggs got swatted out of the park. Man I won money, do some research next time