By Scott Gilfoid: Former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (57-6-1, 50 KOs) is talking about him facing IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO strap holder Wladimir Klitschko later this year in September. Klitschko will be 39-years-old by the time that fight takes place, and Briggs, 43, figures to beat him and then face WBC champion Deontay Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs) in a unification match that would likely bring in big numbers in the United States.
Briggs thinks he’ll not only beat the 6’7” Wilder, but knock him out in the process. I mean, it’s going to be tough as it is for Briggs to get past Wladimir, but if he can do that, he’s really going to have his work cut out for him against the hard-hitting Deontay.
A match-up between Briggs and Wilder will hinge on Briggs getting past Wladimir, because there’s no way that Wilder will ever waste his time fighting Briggs if he gets taken apart by Wladimir next September. Without Briggs coming back from Germany with Klitschko’s scalp in his possession, you really can’t sell a fight between Wilder and Briggs.
It’s been too many years since Briggs did anything in the heavyweight division in the United States, and Deontay would take major heat from boxing fans if he were to decide on facing Briggs rather than more relevant, and proven heavyweights. Of course, that can all change if Briggs knocks off Wladimir and comes back to the U.S with his IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO straps. A huge unification fight between Briggs and Wilder for all the belts would be big business in America.
“He’s OK [Wilder], but Vitali vacated the title, then [Chris] Arreola and Stiverne fought for a vacated title,” Briggs said on Buncey’s Boxing Podcast show via espn.co.uk “But who said they were the two supposed to fight for a title? The guy [Wilder] was 32-0, as soon as he fought one guy that could actually fight, it went 12 rounds. I’m not knocking the guy, but I will knock him out.”
Briggs is still a big puncher even at 43, and he’s good power when he goes to the body. However, I don’t see Briggs being able to score a body shot knockout of Wilder. Briggs doesn’t throw to the head with like he used to, and that’s the only place he’d have a chance of knocking Wilder out.
At 6’4”, Briggs has the size to reach Wilder with his shots, but I don’t think he’s got the speed, flexibility or the mobility to land his shots with any regularity. Briggs will likely get nailed by one of Wilder’s big right hands and end up on his backside before the 4th round. This won’t be one of those Vitali Klitschko beat downs of Briggs.
Vitali’s shots were so painfully slow that Briggs was able to brace for them before they would impact on his head. With Deontay, he’d be landing shots that Briggs wouldn’t see coming until after they landed, and I think Briggs wouldn’t be able to stand up to them for long without dropping for the 10 count.
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