Shannon Briggs waiting for Tyson Fury fight

By Boxing News - 12/25/2017 - Comments

Image: Shannon Briggs waiting for Tyson Fury fight

By Jeff Aranow: Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs says he’ll be ready to fight former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury once he loses all the weight he’s put on, and he’s given clearance by the British Boxing Board of Control to fight again. Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs) says he isn’t going to chase a fight with Fury though. Briggs just wants him to know that if he wants to fight him, and then he needs to sign the contract so the two of them can fight each other in 2018.

It’ll be almost 2 years since Briggs last fought by the time he gets back into the ring in 2018. He last fought in May 2016. Briggs still doesn’t have an opponent scheduled.

The 46-year-old Briggs is coming off of a 6-month drug ban for testing positive for testosterone. He says he was prescribed the drug to treat depression. The drug ban wiped out a title fight for Briggs against Fres Oquendo for the vacant WBA World heavyweight title.

Fury hasn’t given any indication that he’ll be willing to fight Briggs when he makes his comeback in early 2018. Fury has already dismissed Tony Bellew as his opponent for his first fight back. Briggs is considered too dangerous a fighter for Tyson Fury to fight in his first fight off of a 2-year layoff.

“I’m looking forward to fighting soon,” said Briggs to IFL TV. “I was prescribed testosterone for depression,” said Briggs in talking about why he tested positive for the banned drug. “I’m off the suspension and looking forward to fighting. I’m hoping to get a fight in the next 3 or 4 months. This is the new beginning. I’m not chasing anyone. I’m knocking out all pies. They’re all pies. I’m with it. Let’s not talk about it,” said Briggs about fighting Tyson Fury. “I’m not chasing you around. If I don’t like you, I’m going for the jugular. You can see in my eyes, I’m not like anyone else. No way,” said Briggs when asked if Fury is the same guy that beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

Briggs doesn’t look like he’s in great shape right now. He’ll need to start working out soon if he wants to get in good enough shape to impress in his comeback fight.

Briggs wants to fight for another 4 more years until he’s 50. Briggs wants to fight Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. To get those fights, Briggs will likely have to defeat a contender. Fury is probably the best possibility of those 3 for Briggs. Fury might choose to face Briggs because of the easy money a fight like that would bring him. Briggs is well-known in the UK, and a fight with Fury would attract a lot of attention without the need of a heavy marketing campaign.

“You need to fight somebody else that is more in line with a regular fight,” said Briggs.”I want to fight a street fight. I like to fight like Mike Tyson, skills out the window. When the bell rings, I’m trying to gun you down. For a proper fight, he should fight someone else that will give him a proper fight. But if you want it, you’ve got to see me, a real fight. That’s what people want,” said Briggs.

Briggs was a good heavyweight in the 1990s. He won the WBO heavyweight title in 2006 in stopping Sergey Liakhovich in the 12th round. Briggs didn’t hold onto the title though. He lost it in his first title defense against Sultan Ibragimov in 2007.

Fury is nothing. Fury is fat and out of shape,” said Briggs. ”If you want to fight, sign the contact. I’ll come over to England, wherever you want to fight. If he’s serious, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll stay busy. I’m going to come at Joshua, because he’s looking like he’s the man. If he has the strap when it’s time, then I have to go after my brother. If I get a shot, I’ll take it. It’s like the young lion vs. the old lion. If I knockout Fury, that’s the heavyweight champion. He’s the undefeated, undisputed lineal heavyweight champion. Knocking off him is like winning the heavyweight title. I can do that,” said Briggs.

Fury would be a good payday for the 6’4” Briggs. If Fury does agree to fight Briggs, it won’t likely happen until April or May of next year. Briggs will need to sit on the shelf and wait for Fury to lose the remaining that he’s carrying around. Briggs will have to agree to taking the smaller money for the Fury fight, because he’s not going to give him equal pay. Fury sees himself as deserving a 60-40 deal with Anthony Joshua. If he wants that kind of deal for a fight with Joshua, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him offer a 90-10 cut to Briggs. I don’t think that would be even worth it for Briggs to agree to a percentage split like that against Fury.

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