Shannon Briggs calls out David Haye
So many people want to fight David Haye at the moment he probably doesn’t know whether to take it as a complement or an insult.
The latest heavyweight to say he wants a crack at the Bermondsey-fighter is none other than veteran Shannon Briggs. You’d be forgiven in thinking that “The Cannon” had been spiked long ago, but he’s still around, knocking out an unknown Cuban by the name of Rafael Pedro in one round a week ago.
That obviously puts him back in contention for the heavyweight title. In fact anyone who wins a fight is in contention for the heavyweight title, I don’t even think you need to win, just be a heavyweight and you are in contention.
The pineapple-headed hitter hasn’t fought a class opponent since his defeat to Sultan Ibragimov back in 2007. At 38 years old, Briggs joins the likes of Evander Holyfield, Audley Harrison, Francios Bortha and John Ruiz of veteran’s thinking they still have what it takes to win major titles in this division.
Briggs released a press statement in which he warned Haye that the Klitschko’s will mess him about and he should fight him instead. “We don't have to deal with the Klitschkos hand-picking opponents and fighting only in Germany with their boring styles. Let's you and me go to war and give the fans what they want from heavyweight boxing.”
There is no word from Hayes camp yet, but it probably went something like, “Ok, cheers for that Shannon, don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
Quite frankly it’s turning into a farce. If the Klitschko’s and Haye doesn’t happen, or he dispatches them with ease, what then?
Haye has said he only wants four more fights anyway, so when is the new breed of heavyweights going to come through? America hasn’t produced one in years, Eastern Europe has had one or two but they just fall into a “poor-mans Klitschko” category. In the UK Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora and Sam Sexton are all decent, but no more than domestic fighters. In fact if you look in the top 10 ranked heavyweights the only ones under the age of 30 are Haye, Eddie Chambers who is not very good and Samuel Peter, who has already been destroyed by both Klitschko’s.
It’s no wonder Mike Tyson is thinking about making a comeback. As for Briggs he was ok in his day but I’m pretty sure he is nowhere on Haye’s radar. Briggs is best known for defeating George Foreman when he was a granddad and running Lennox Lewis close for a round or two before getting flattened. At one stage he looked quite good, relatively fast hands for a heavyweight, but we are talking about 10 years ago.
Late last year he had his victory over Marcus McGee ruled as a no contest after Briggs tested positive for a bannedsubstance. That’s just what the heavyweight division needs some drug-taking controversy.
Anyone who thinks Shannon Briggs is a contender probably needs a drugs test too.
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