Vitali Klitschko says Shannon Briggs has more experience than him, still using asthma as excuse
In a recent interview with boxing.fanhouse.com, WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko said that prospective opponent Shannon Briggs has more experience than him in the ring and that he uses his asthma affliction as an “excuse” to pad his fights.
The Ukrainian born heavyweight titlist will take on Briggs Saturday, in an attempt to win his ninth straight victory and eighth stoppage since being ousted by Lennox Lewis in 2003.
Briggs, Klitschko’s junior by a year (at 38), is coming off of a win in May, when he downed his third consecutive first-round knockout in as many wins over journeyman Rob Calloway. Briggs is widely respected for his knockout power, proof of which can be
seen in his stoppage of 30 opponents in the first round.
Klitschko opened up about his training, explaining that he had just concluded sparring and racked up over 120 rounds of sparring in preparation for Briggs. One main tactic will be simply lasting out the first few rounds with Briggs, who is most devastating
early on but tends to tire significantly as fights develop.
“Shannon Briggs is one of the toughest and top opponents [for me], and I am, as the world champion, ready to fight anyone,” Klitschko explained. “Shannon Briggs has a great record. He must have the Guinness Book of Records for first-round knockouts […]He
has knocked out more opponents of anybody in the first or second round. If you look at his record, you could actually say that he has more boxing experience than me. He's very tall and very strong. He has a great knockout record, and that's why this fight
will be very interesting.”
Discussing Briggs’s notable asthma, Klitschko speculated the illness was really more a ploy to develop sympathy than a real affliction. Klitschko said: “You know, if he was really sick, then Shannon Briggs wouldn't be fighting. He has great boxing experience.
He goes after the knockouts and he's in great condition […] His story about asthma is a good excuse to say, 'look at me, I'm a sick boy, and, anyway, I still fight.' It's just an excuse that he has just in case he loses the fight.”
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