by James Slater – Former WBO heavyweight ruler Shannon Briggs won in predictably quick fashion last night in New York, as he stopped Dominique Alexander inside a round. Actually, though many expected “The Cannon” to get the job done fast against the 19-9-1(9) 27-year-old from Kansas, Briggs took care of business even quicker than he himself thought he would do beforehand.
The 38-year-old, who weighed-in at 258-pounds, whacked the younger man with two left hands to the body, dropping Alexander with barely seconds gone. The stricken fighter beat the count, but he was deemed unable to continue by referee Shada Murdaugh, who called an end to the fight. The official time was just 20-seconds of round-one! Briggs is now 50-5-1(44)..
Looking to keep himself busy as he attempts what will surely be one last run at the title, the former lineal champ is set to face Rob Calloway in one week in Norfolk, Virginia. Calloway, 70-11-2(57) will hopefully give Briggs a sterner test than did Alexander.
Briggs, who remains a big name in the heavyweight division, seems to have taken a leaf out of former opponent George Foreman’s book. By staying busy against so-so opposition, Briggs is choosing quantity over quality; as “Big” George did back when he began his unlikely comeback in the late 1980s. Now 2-0(2) with one No-Contest since returning to action after his disappointing loss to Sultan Ibragimov, the colourful Briggs’ ultimate goal is a shot at one of the Klitschko brothers – although Shannon has also expressed interest in a fight with the U.K’s David Haye.
As long as he sticks to fighting the Alexander’s and even the Calloways of the world, Briggs’ title shot target will remain in his sites. One good thing that can be said about Briggs’ return is the fact that he is slowly but surely shedding weight. Back in December of last year, in fighting again for the first time in two-and-half years (the No-Contest with Marcus McGee), Briggs tipped-in at a hefty-looking 272-pounds. Against Rafael Pedro in April Briggs was 263, and last night he was a further five-pounds lighter. Briggs is clearly doing his work in the gym.
40-year-old Calloway, known as The “All-American Prizefighter,” is a tough guy and he will come to fight, and maybe, just maybe, he will put enough heat on Briggs to give us an idea of how much the former champ has left. Calloway is a step up from Alexander, yet he will be returning to the heavyweight division, having tried his hand down at 200-pounds. And the 87-fight veteran who has been stopped six times has lost three of his last four bouts; all three inside the distance. Could yet another 1st-round KO be on the cards for Briggs?