By Matt Stein: World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Vitali Kitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) could be facing former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) in a battle of 38-year-old knockout artists. ESPN2 analyst Teddy Atlas dropped the bomb on this news on Friday Night Fights.

It’s kind of jarring to hear that Klitscko would take on Briggs at this point because Shannon has only had four fights – all 1st round knockouts over 2nd tier opponents – since coming off of a two-year period where Briggs wasn’t fighting from 2007 to 2009.

However, Briggs is currently ranked at number #9 by the WBC, which makes him at least a little more interesting that Klitschko’s last opponent, the little known Alberto Sosnowski who was ranked number #14.

If Klitschko decides on taking on Briggs, it would seem that Vitali is trying to milk his title rather than going after his number #1 ranked opponents one after another. That would be the ideal thing for Klitschko to do because is number #1 ranked opponent right now is unbeaten former 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Odlanier Solis, who has fast, hands, good power and excellent boxing skills.

Solis would easily be the best opponent that Vitali will have faced since making a comeback in 2008 after a four year retirement. Nikolay Valuev is ranked number #2, and that would be another fight that might be more interesting than Vitali digging deep into the pack to pull out the 38-year-old Briggs.

It’s not that Briggs can’t punch, because he’s dangerous in the early rounds, as you see by the series of 1st round knockouts he’s scored since he’s been back. However, Briggs tires out later in his fights and as long as you don’t stand in front of him looking to trade bombs, you’ll be okay.

Sultan Ibragimov, the last top fighter that Briggs has fought, easily out-boxed Briggs, beating him by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision in 2007 to take his title. Ibragimov did nothing remarkable in his fight with Briggs other than choosing to not stand directly in front of him and not staying close enough for Briggs to swing his big homerun shots all night.

Briggs won the WBO title with a 12th round knockout with exactly one second remaining on the clock in his fight against Sergey Liakhovich in November 2006. Liakhovich had a lead in the fight going into the 12th and only needed to stay away from Briggs to get the win.

Instead, Liakhovich tried to slug it out with Briggs and ended up running into a big right hand that sent him collapsing through he ropes with seconds to go in the fight. Seven months later, Briggs lost his WBO title to Ibragimov.

From there, Briggs disappeared of the boxing map, staying inactive for two years and gaining weight. He’s lost the weight, but it’s unknown how much he has left in the tank. It would be nice to see what Briggs has left by seeing him fight a top contender or at least a good B level fighter that could give him a test.

However, it looks as if Briggs is following he same game plan as he did before he got his title shot against Liakhovich in 2006. Before getting that title shot, Briggs beat 10 second tier heavyweights in a row to get his title shot. It’s incredible that Briggs didn’t have t fight at least one upper tier fighter during this time to get a shot at the title, but that’s how it worked out.