By James Slater: Despite the fact that he failed to win a single round of his fight last year with World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight king Vitali Klitschko, and despite the fact that he took one awful beating in Germany, Shannon Briggs is planning a comeback – one he hopes will lead to a return fight with Klitschko.
Speaking to Boxing News magazine in the UK, via a blog, the New Yorker says he did well against Vitali, despite the fact that he only had the use of one arm. Briggs, of course,had a bicep injury in the fight. The former World Boxing Organization (WBO) champ feels he would have done a better job had it not been for the handicap.
Briggs goes as far as to claim he “hurt” Vitali in the 10th round of the fight, and that he had him “ready to go.” I can’t actually remember Briggs having this success, but he is adamant he can win a return.
“I am making a comeback, not just to go out with a win, but to win the world heavyweight championship,” he wrote in his blog on B N. “Vitali fought me with one arm and he couldn’t knock me out. It would be awful to live the rest of my life knowing that he couldn’t knock me down when I had one arm. Life is too short for regrets.
“We’re getting in shape, and looking at launching again in December or January. I’m coming back with a boom.”
No doubt many fans will feel Briggs is fooling himself with his comeback beliefs. After all, Shannon took a bad beating last year, winding up in hospital. In light of how savagely onesided the October fight was, how on earth does Briggs feel a return match would sell?
Briggs talks about life being short; he should, in my humble opinion, enjoy the rest if his life without endangering himself with the rigours of the ring.