Briggs Has Pneumonia; Fight Is Off
By Michael Woods February 14th, 2007Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs TKO’d by pneumonia
Brooklyn-born heavyweight Shannon Briggs is a credit to asthmatics the world over, as the massively muscled fighter has battled the disease throughout his career. But his lungs have won this round, it appears.
Briggs won’t defend his WBO heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden Theatre on March 10 after being diagnosed with a case of walking pneumonia.
Briggs was to fight Sultan Ibragimov and promoters were working late yesterday, the NY Post reported, to salvage the card with Ibragimov facing another foe in an interim title scrap.
“This is extremely upsetting to Shannon,” said Scott Hirsch, Briggs manager, to the Post. “He was looking better than he ever has in the gym. But he’s an asthmatic, which makes him more susceptible than most athletes to getting sick. But he has dealt with this his whole life.”
Hirsch said Briggs cannot train for at least two to three weeks, but team Briggs would like to get back in the mix in May.
Briggs won the WBO title in November with a 12th-round knockout of Sergei Liakhovich.
Dan Rafael of ESPN got Briggs on the phone and the boxer sounded down.
“I’m not doing too good,” a tired-sounding Briggs told ESPN.com. “To me, this was almost $2 million. I’m sick about it. I’m destroyed over this. It was an easy payday for me. Hopefully, we can push it back to May or June and I will be better. I was going to make like $1.8 million for the fight, including about $500,000 in endorsements. I was going to look like a NASCAR driver with my trunks.
“So it hurts me to lose it. I’m 35 and I fought sick my whole career with my asthma. I know you don’t want to hear it, but Muhammad Ali didn’t fight with asthma, Mike Tyson didn’t fight with asthma. I have fought with asthma my whole career and was able to win a championship.
“But this pneumonia is worse and my health is more important than my wealth,â€? Briggs said to Rafael. “I had a lot of shortness of breath in everything I was doing – running, sparring, whatever,” Briggs said. “I thought it was my asthma, so I upped my dose of medication. But it wasn’t getting better, so I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me. He gave me a lung test and said my lung power had decreased by 11 percent since my last fight.”
Rough break for Briggs; at 35, he cannot shrug off a hiatus like a younger fighter can.
February 14th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Poor bugger.
February 14th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
So what kind of impact does his past steriod use have on his asthma? Get healthy Briggs and lay off the juice. You would be a much better fighter if you dropped some of the excess weight…too much muscle has bogged you down. You’re lucky because you’ve done nothing but fight bums.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
11 percent. Reschedule the fight. Or else maybe the Boxing Gods have something else in Store for Shannon Briggs. Even though the oddsmakers had the other fighter the favorite Briggs probably can find more motivation by fighting another Champion. 11 percent. Briggs should be better in no time.
February 15th, 2007 at 6:57 am
This is just another test SB I believe God is doing a new thing in you, I thank God for healing your lungs, asthma and anything thats stopping you from a clean bill of health. Briggs is A good friend and client Im very concerned about his health, but he is a tru champion and will overcome this set back I promise you that he is a true champion even fighting through asthma his entire life he never gave up or quit, he remained a contender he just didnt get the respect he deserved as a fighter.
True champion are not made they are born with the gift, and Shannon has that gift plus..
WHAT EVER THE ENEMY HAD SET FOR BAD GOD IS TURNING IT AROUND,
WHAT EVER THE DEVIL HAS STOLEN , GOD IS REPLACING, I DECREE AND DECLARE THESE THING FOR YOU
Shannon we are praying for you and thanking God for you immediate recovery..
Mike B, President/CEO
Knockout Entertainment and Sports
IN YOUR CORNER FOR LIFE
February 15th, 2007 at 10:17 am
dam son, get well son, thats f—ed up son, immediate recovery is neccesary theres like 3 belts out there you gotta get for us
February 15th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
I am a believer in Shannon Briggs. Sir, if you will stop fighting with asthma and start remembering all the times you have more than overcome asthma - you’ll recognize a little more of who you are. Everytime asthma picks on you - you beat the hell out of Asthma. Get mad at the dis-ease and not mad at yourself. There will always be detractors, parasites and vampires trying to suck the very life off and out of you? Why because you are mighty and more because you are blessed. Remember God blew breath into Adam and made him a living soul. You are the Adam recieving the spirit to fight for what you believe in, not just the money, you are worth more than money, fight for the right to be free from the bitterness of oppression in all of it’s suffocating forms especially financial. Fight for the right to live on your own terms. Fight for the right to inspire for the future is in need of your success. Fight for the right to the legacy you were born to live. Put your head in the right place, your heart is already there.
February 15th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Briggs will get through this. I know he can.
February 19th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I don’t know that much about you, but I do know that like me you were born to fight in the ring for God’s glory. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these other thing’s will be added unto you”. I’ll be prayin for you and let the joy of the lord be your strength