This Saturday, Shannon Briggs will stand in a ring in Germany, across from the WBC Heavyweight Champion, Vitali Klitschko, 40-2, 38 KO?s. Klitschko is imposing enough without an arena full of fans screaming his name, which is testament of how well the Klitschko brothers were sold overseas. This fight cannot even make American TV.
Briggs, 51-5-1, 45 KO?s, is the last of the 1990?s crop of heavyweights to still be a factor in the division. Most recently, David Tua was exposed in a bout with Monte Barrett. Chris Byrd and John Ruiz have retired. Ike Ibeabuchi is still enjoying prison life, Jeremy Williams has gone MMA apparently, and Andrew Golota has been pummeled in just about every recent fight. Briggs has kept active and vocal, using his charisma and power to remain a man of interest in boxing. He will have a tall order come Saturday but he is not without promise.
The pre-fight press conference was interesting with Briggs attempting to get into the head of the champion, something that he did quite well in 2006 when he met up with then WBO Heavyweight Champion, Sergei Liakhovich. Prior to the fight, Briggs was shout
