The heavyweight division could be about to have a former world champion return.
The premiere weight class in boxing will crown another undisputed champion in a few weeks, when WBC, WBA and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk meets IBF title-holder Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on July 19.
Heavyweight is also home to a number of other highly-ranked stars who could get world title shots in the near future, including Joseph Parker, Agit Kabayel and Moses Itauma, while the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder remain key names too.
It is a fighter that won the WBO heavyweight title back in 2006 who has claimed he will return soon though, and the man is question is Shannon Briggs.
It’s been nearly a decade since Briggs last competed, with his last bout coming in May 2016 when he knocked out Emilio Zarate in the first round. That was the 37th first round knockout of his career, a record in the division.
Briggs has won 60 of his 68 contests, with his biggest moment coming nearly 20 years ago when he stopped Siarhei Liakhovich to win the aforementioned WBO title.
While nearly two decades may have passed since then, Briggs has told IFL TV he will return this year and named the man he is set to face.
“1000% I will be fighting soon. I just came back from Miami. I met with Adin Ross. It looks like we’re going to have me vs Rampage [Jackson] in September or October.”
Rampage Jackson is a former MMA star who held the UFC light-heavyweight title from 2007 to 2008, claiming wins over fellow MMA legends like Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell.
It’s the latest name that Briggs has been linked with over the past few years, and with Briggs being 53 and Rampage being 47, it remains to be seen whether the bout will indeed go ahead.
