RSSShannon Briggs
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
De La Hoya Picks Ibragimov Over Briggs
LOS ANGELES – Sultan Ibragimov is ready to put his unbeaten record up for grabs against the WBO Heavyweight Champion, Shannon Briggs, on Saturday, June 2nd at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ.
The high-impact 12-round showdown is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Seminole Warriors Boxing Promotions in association with Caesar’s Atlantic City, Nafta Moskya, Golden Grain, CSI Sports, Global Advertising and Main Events. The fight will be shown on Pay-Per-View and begins at 9:00 pm ET/ 6:00 pm PT.
Ibragimov is one of the hottest talents in the heavyweight division, and experts as well as his Russian supporters believe he has the ability to beat the current champion in this long-awaited match up. The championship fight was originally scheduled for March 10, but was postponed after Briggs suffered from an pneumonia.
“We’re confident that Sultan Ibragimov is the next heavyweight champion of the world, and we’re eager to see him beat Shannon Briggs and put the championship belt around his waist,” said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya.
“He dominated Javier Mora with a quick 46-second knockout in the first round of his last fight, and we know he is ready for his fight against Briggs,” continued De La Hoya.
A 2000 Olympic Silver medalist for Russia, Sultan Ibragamov (20-0-1, 17 KO’s) turned pro in 2002 with a first round knockout of Tracy Williams - in fact, his first four fights ended in opening round victories. He won the WBO Asia-Pacific title in October of 2004 with a third-round knockout against Najee Shaheed. He defended that crown six times.
He has also defeated former world champion Al Cole and contenders Lance Whitaker and Zuri Lawrence.
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Monday, April 16, 2007
EEC - April 16, 2007
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Infamous boxing promoter Don King has a plan to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion through a series of fights before the end of 2008…
“I think the title should be unified. To have one undisputed, identifiable world champion would make everything better,” King told Reuters in an exclusive interview.
“It would restore the magic,” he said.
King made the statement one day after his latest heavyweight client, Nikolai Valuev, lost his WBA Heavyweight Belt to Ruslan Chagaev. He said that Valuev winning would have given him more power in making his plan a reality but is set on doing so anyway.
King said that it would take roughly $30 million in order to make the tournament happen and that it could be very easy to gather the money, even if it has to come out of his own pocket…
The outcomes of the Briggs-Ibragimov, Klitschko-Brewster, and Maskaev-Peter fights this summer will set up the beginning of the projected series of fights according to King.
- For those of you that are wondering, there hasn’t been an undisputed champion since right before Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas in 1990…
- The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is apparently refusing to release the purse values of Manny Pacquiao and Jorge Solis from their featherweight bout on Saturday night to the public…
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Thursday, April 05, 2007
Briggs-Ibragimov to Take Place in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall
The Press of Atlantic City is reporting that the WBO Heavyweight Championship bout between Shannon Briggs and Sultan Ibragimov on June 2nd will now take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
This announcement comes days after we first reported on the rumor swirling around that this fight may be moving to the USA so those promoting this fight could get away from the conflicting, well now it might not be conflicting at all, Peter-Maskaev fight on the same day in Russia.
Both fighters have fought in AC before - Briggs is 5-2-1, Ibragimov is 1-0…
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Rumor: Briggs-Ibragimov Moving to USA
We reported last month that Shannon Briggs would finally get a chance to defend his WBO Heavyweight Title against Sultan Ibragimov on June 2nd in Russia. The two will still fight on June 2nd but the fight may now be taking place in the USA according to Ibragimov’s promoters, Golden Grain Promotions.
The reason for the change is that Vitali Klitchko and Oleg Maskaev are set to clash on the same date in Russia thus creating a problem for those involved in setting up the Briggs-Ibragimov bout who would have to now deal with another fight on the same date in the same country that will most likely be the bigger draw.
Golden Grain Promotions released this statement concerning the possible move of the bout to the United States:
“Regarding all the boxing achievements of the current WBC Champion Oleg Maskaev and taking under consideration that it’s hardly possible to stage two great boxing events on the same day in Moscow, we decided to take Ibragimov-Briggs fight to the USA”.
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Monday, March 12, 2007
Ibragimov and Briggs Try Again on June 2
Fresh off a 46 second annihilation of Javier Mora on Saturday night at The Theater in Madison Square Garden, number one WBO Heavyweight contender Sultan Ibragimov is looking forward to getting his shot at champion Shannon Briggs on June 2, in his home country of Russia.
“I’ve been ready for Briggs for a long time and I’m just waiting to win the belt officially back home in Russia,” said Ibragimov. “June 2nd will be a big night for me and my fans.”
The unbeaten Ibragimov’s promoters, Seminole Warriors Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Golden Grain Promotions, have finalized plans to bring the WBO Heavyweight Championship bout to Moscow, Russia on June 2.
Continue reading "Ibragimov and Briggs Try Again on June 2"
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Friday, February 23, 2007
Briggs Responds to Ibragimov
First of all I know Sultan didn’t even say those things. He’s not much of a talker and he’s a classy guy. I guess his twin promoters Leon and Sampson known in the boxing world as Dumb and Dumber are trying to stir up some hype. That’s the job of the promoters so I understand.
I fought George Foreman twelve rounds with a broken nose, I fought Lennox Lewis with a broken hand and I fight every fight with asthma. My Doctor, the Florida Commission Doctor and the promoters Doctor all said with aspirated pneumonia I couldn’t fight at this time. I argued with Dr. Woolf and with my manager, Scott Hirsch because I wanted to fight even with pneumonia.
It will only take me a few more weeks to beat this pneumonia and a few rounds to knockout Iggy. If one of the respected champions I fought like Foreman, Lewis, Mercer or even Liakhovich said that I’d take it seriously. But seriously Iggy is not in my league and I’m going to get healthy and make him eat his promoters words.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Mora to Replace Briggs and Face Ibragimov
Heavyweight contender Sultan Ibragimov’s bout against WBO Heavyweight Champion Shannon Briggs will have to wait a little longer, as a case of pneumonia has forced Briggs to withdraw from his March 10th title defense. But Ibragimov’s opportunity to fight in front of his legion of New York City fans remains on schedule, as rugged prospect Javier Mora has been tabbed to face the unbeaten Russian at The Theater of Madison Square Garden.
“I’m very disappointed I’m not fighting Briggs, but these things happen,” said the unbeaten Ibragimov. “I am happy that Mora has the courage to step up and face me on March 10th, and I assure my fans that I will be getting my championship belt very soon.”
One of the few heavyweights to carry on the storied boxing tradition of legendary Mexican warriors such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Salvador Sanchez, and Ruben Olivares, La Chona born Javier Mora (21-3-1, 17 KOs) is on a quest to become his home country’s first world heavyweight champion. He’s got a good start so far, as the 24-year old pressure fighter is adding to his resume every day with quality wins and experience-building bouts against the elite of the division. In his last bout, on January 6th, Mora scored a unanimous decision win over Earl Ladson.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Ibragimov Disgusted With Fellow Heavyweights
Number one WBO heavyweight contender Sultan Ibragimov, disappointed at seeing his long-awaited title shot against Shannon Briggs postponed due to the champion’s illness, minced no words when it came to the topic of the Brooklyn-born Briggs and the rest of the heavyweight division.
“It seems that everything having to do with Briggs is attached to an excuse,” said Ibragimov. “I don’t understand why he just can’t get in the ring and fight. We all get aches and pains and little sicknesses when we’re preparing for a fight, but the real fighters fight through them. Unfortunately, it seems there aren’t any real fighters left.”
High-profile heavyweights Ray Mercer, Dominick Guinn, Taurus Sykes, and Lou Savarese, among others, were all offered substantial paydays to battle the unbeaten Ibragimov on March 10th, but they refuse to get in the ring with the top contender in the game today.
“I’m disgusted, but at the same time I’m not surprised that these so-called fighters won’t fight me,” said Ibragimov. “They’re all like Briggs – no heart.”
The bout between Briggs and Ibragimov will be rescheduled.
“The weather will be nicer so Briggs may show up to defend his title,” said Ibragimov. “Unless he gets a sunstroke and has to pull out again.”
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Monday, February 19, 2007
Rumor: Ibragimov May Face Brock for WBO Interim Title
The Miami Herald is reporting that Sultan Ibragimov is still planning to fight at Madison Square Garden on March 10 since the fee to rent out the arena was already paid for by his promoter.
Since Shannon Briggs will be unable to fight, Warriors Boxing is petitioning for Ibragimov to fight for the Interim WBO Heavyweight Title. The WBO has stated that they will rule on the matter on Tuesday.
Warriors Boxing is also saying that Calvin Brock is the only fighter willing to take the bout. This would work out just great except Brock has already signed to fight an opponent to be named on March 17 as part of the Holyfield-Maddalone undercard.
Are we going to see another Cotto-Margarito situation involving Brock this week? We just might…
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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
EEC - February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine’s Day bitches…
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Just because he is sick, doesn’t mean that Shannon Briggs can’t still talk smack on Sultan Ibragimov:
“We contemplated fighting. I wanted to fight,” said Briggs. “To me this fight was a joke. How did he even become my mandatory? Off a draw with Ray Austin? OK, but it was an easy payday. But we came to the realization that it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Me losing to Ibragimov because of illness, people don’t want to hear about that.”
- Despite being heavily rumored to be taking on Koki Kameda this spring, WBC Flyweight Champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam will now be heading to Japan to defend his title against Yo Sam Choi.
- Cruiserweight contender Matt Godfrey will take on his fellow 2000 US Olympic Trials teammate, Felix Cora Jr, on April 6th.
- Look for it to be announced later this week that Jason Litzau will be returning to the ring in April…
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