By Dave Lahr: Former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) has been selected out of all the possible top 15 opponents to face World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) next month on October 16th at the O2 World Arena, Altona, in Hamburg, Germany. As far as I can tell, next to no one is giving poor Briggs any chance of beating Vitali in this fight.
Shannon Briggs
Heavyweight Deadwood
by Mark Hepplestall: I have been noticing that the Klitschko’s and David Haye have been getting some stick about fighting old boxers, well if you look at the heavyweight rankings the champions do not have much choice as there are 7 heavyweights out of the top 15 who are over the age of 30 not including the champions IBF/WBO title holder Wladimir Klitschko, 34, and WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, 39. Also taking out the top contenders and just looking at the hot prospects you can see Odlanier Solis, ranked 18th in the world and 30 years old with 16 fights.
Briggs-Klitschko: Shannon is the most dangerous opponent Vitali has faced since Lewis
By Matt Stein: Boxing fans have been quick to criticize WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s (40-2, 38 KO’s) next opponent former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s), who Klitschko will be fighting on October 16th at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany.
Vitali Klitschko – The heavyweight weak link?
By Mark Hepplestall: Vitali Klitschko is a Ukrainian Boxer who holds the WBC world heavyweight title; his 42 fight record consists of 40 won, 38 by KO and lost 2 by TKO due to cuts. His most notable fights include victories over Corrie Sanders, Vaughn Bean and Danny Williams and most infamous, a loss to Lennox Lewis on cuts when Vitali was winning on points.
Klitschko vs. Briggs: Shannon must focus on Vitali’s weak skin around his eyes
By Dave Lahr: If former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) wants to walk out of O2 Arena, in Hamburg, Germany with a win over World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) on October 16th, then Briggs needs to focus on landing his shots around the eyes of the 39-year-old Klitschko. As we’ve seen in some of his fights in the past, Klitschko tends to swell up and cut when hit around the eyes. In his fight with Lennox Lewis in 2003, Vitali was a bloody mess after only four rounds of the fight and looked like he had crawled out of a major car wreck by the time the referee stopped the fight in the 6th due to the massive cuts Klitschko had suffered around the eyes and his lip area.
Klitschko-Briggs: One of these Titans is going down on October 16th
By Matt Stein: World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) has only tasted defeat on two separate occasions during his long 14-year pro career and has been stopped on both of the occasions in his defeats. Klitschko’s next opponent, 38-year-old Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s), has only been beaten five times in his 18-year pro career and has been stopped by two of his opponents – Lennox Lewis and Darroll Wilson.
Klitschko vs. Briggs: Does Vitali have enough left to overcome Shannon’s power and speed advantage?
By Matt Stein: Former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) still may be a little rusty from inactivity as he enters his fight against WBC heavyweight Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) on October 16th, at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany.
Klitschko vs. Briggs: Shannon needs to jump on Vitali early
By Matt Stein: Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) has a formidable task in front of him on October 16th in his heavyweight clash with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s). While the 38-year-old Briggs may have the bigger power and the faster hand speed, he’s not as tall as Klitschko and isn’t nearly as good of a boxer as he is.
Briggs-Klitschko: Shannon says he has to be in Lance Armstrong shape to beat Vitali
By Matt Stein: Former World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) realizes that for him to make the most of his big opportunity in his title challenge of World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) on October 16th.
Briggs predicts “30-second” knockout of Vitali Klitschko
By Jim Dower: Former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) is predicting a “30 second” knockout over 39-year-old WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) in boxing news from ESPN.com. Briggs, 38, says he’s going to make Klitschko a “30-second, 1st round victim. That’s how a lot of my fights end.” Klitschko and Briggs will be meeting on October 16th at the O2 World Arena, Altona, in Hamburg, Germany. Briggs lost his WBO heavyweight title against Russian Sultan Ibragimov in 2007. However, after sitting idle for more than two years, Briggs has rattled off four consecutive 1st round knockout victories over 2nd tier opposition and has looked very impressive in doing so.