Klitschko-Briggs: Shannon isn’t taking his last chance seriously

By Mark Hepplestall: Former World Boxing Organization WBO) heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) came in on the scales at 262 lbs, which was 22 pounds more then he has been saying he will come in at, considering he is challenging for the WBC Heavyweight title against champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) I thought he would at least show up in shape for the fight. Unfortunately his flabby exterior and very small legs when compared to his upper body make him look like The Great Pyramid upside down. It’s clear to all to see that he is not built for the 12 rounds but maybe only a 4 round dash.

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Briggs tricks Vitali by coming in at 262 for Saturday’s bout

By Dave Lahr: Former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) pulled a little bit if trickery on WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) by making him think that he would be coming in light for the fight in the low 240s. Instead, Briggs weighed in at 262 at Friday’s weigh-in, which is about as much as Briggs has been weighing in most of his fights in the past nine years.

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Vitali’s thin skin is going to let him down against Briggs

By Dave Lahr: It’s too bad that WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) was born with such defective skin around his eyes. I guess if it’s not one things it another. I suppose he’s lucky he’s 6’7″, because the extra height has obviously disguised his weak skin around his eyes and saved him from multiple stoppage losses. Some fighters are known as bleeders due their paper thin skin. I see Klitscho as one of them. On Saturday night, Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 Ko’s) is going to be unloading heavy artillery on Vitali’s face and it’s going to be interesting to watch the quick transformation that Klitschko’s face undergoes with every hard punch that Briggs lands.

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Klitschko is going to get hit a lot by Briggs: The question is can Vitali take it?

By Dave Lahr: I have no doubts that former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) will be able to take WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s arm punches. But the major question is whether Klitschko will be able to handle Briggs’ huge power shots to the head and body? I don’t think the Ukrainian can. That’s going to be the major difference between these two fighters when they step into the ring on Saturday night at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany.

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The Heavyweight division would be way more exciting without the Klitschko brothers!

ByMarquise Bullock: I think I know the cure for the heavyweight division. It’s for the Klitschko brothers to leave. The heavyweight division would be just a little bit more fun to watch again if they weren’t around. I have no problems with the Klitschkos, they’re good fighters. And that’s pretty much the problem, they’re too good. They’re on another level, as of now, and with their physical advantages and quality of heavyweights what’s the point off competing. They have nothing else too prove. They should let the heavyweights off today compete with each other.

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Klitschko-Briggs: What’s going to happen to Vitali when he fights with his hands down?

By Dave Lahr: WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) has a bad habit of fighting with his hands down by his sides, letting his head movement and leaning keep him from taking punishment. Since Klitschko has mainly fought soft opposition since his 6th round stoppage by Lennox Lewis in 2003, he’s been able to get away with his hands down at his waist. In his fight with Corrie Sanders in 2004, Vitali took some big shots in that fight and was nearly knocked down in the 1st round. Vitali came back and stopped the out of shape looking Sanders in the 8th round. On Saturday night, Klitschko will be facing Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany.

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Vitali Klitschko looks really slow in media workout

by Dave Lahr: WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) looked as slow as molasses in the media workout today in Frankfurt, Germany. Klitschko, 39, danced around the ring, with music playing and tons of reporters snapped photos and took video of it. But Klitschko’s foot movement and hand speed were totally missing. Vitali honestly looked like he was punching in slow motion as he flicked out painfully slow arm punches. That’s pretty much all Vitali threw was arm punches as he danced to the music and frolicked around. He threw punches for awhile at his trainer while was holding puncher’s mitts, but it was still mostly arm punches that Vitali was throwing.

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Vitali Klitschko doesn’t know when he’ll retire – Says he feels good

By Jim Dower: At 39, most professional boxers have long since retired from the sport and found jobs outside of boxing. But WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) is still pumping away with his successful career, beating one heavyweight challenger after another and making it mostly look easy. In an AP article by Greg Beacham, Vitali says “I know what it is, but with time and age, I still feel good. I don’t have an answer when is the time [to hang up his gloves]. I don’t think it is.” Who can blame Vitali for not retiring now.

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Klitschko and Briggs meet in press conference, Vitali looks scared

Image: Klitschko and Briggs meet in press conference, Vitali looks scaredPhoto credit: Public Address and KMG/Dmitriy Abramov – By Dave Lahr: WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) and challenger former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) met earlier today in a press conference in Hamburg, Germany. The two fighters are busy drumming up support for their title clash on Saturday, October 16th. This was an unusual press conference because Vitali looked scared when he was forced to face Briggs up close in several stare downs. You could actually see the fear in Klitschko’s eyes. Briggs looked positively fierce and was totally unlike the timid opponents that have been matched up with Klitschko in his five-fight comeback. It looked like Vitali was ready to jump out of his socks at one point. He looked uncertain, and his eyes shifted away from Briggs when they started to tear up.

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Vitali Klitschko says Haye doesn’t have enough power or speed to beat him or Wladimir

Image: Vitali Klitschko says Haye doesn’t have enough power or speed to beat him or WladimirBy Scott Gilfoid: WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KO’s) once again was calling out World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) in an interview at Skysports.com. Vitali, who will be facing Shannon Briggs on October 16th, had this to say about a future fight with Haye: “A fight against a Klitschko means he [Haye] will be knocked out. David Haye has good speed, but not so much speed to be quicker than the Klitschkos. David doesn’t have the power to knock out Wladimir or Vitali, but the Klitschkos both have speed and power.”

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