Shannon Briggs Will Now Face Emilio Ezequiel Zarate on Haye Day

By Elliot Foster

Shannon Briggs has finally had an opponent confirmed for this weekend –– and it’s not the same man as was reported yesterday.

Boxing Scene reported on Thursday that the former WBO heavyweight champion, 44, would be fighting late stand-in Jakov Gospic on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena, exclusively live on UKTV channel Dave.

But Briggs, 59-6-1 (52 KOs), who had been set to come up against former European champion Alexander Dimitrenko on May 21, will now face a different opponent again.

It was revealed at the 11th hour on Thursday evening that 33-year-old Croatian Gospic, who was drafted in as ‘The Cannon’s’ opponent for the undercard of ‘Haye Day’, which is topped by David Haye’s second comeback fight against Arnold Gjergjaj, had also withdrawn, leaving the Brooklyn native without opposition once more.

However, Boxing Scene has been informed that Briggs will still fight over 10 rounds on the bill but will now be up against an Argentine after Emilio Ezequiel Zarate was flown in.

Zarate, 34, has a record of 20-16-3 (11 KOs) and will be best known on these shores as the man who was knocked out by Hughie Fury in the second round of 10 in Bristol back in November.

Since that defeat to Fury, Zarate has a record of 2-1 (2 KOs) and will be hoping to provide Briggs with some much-needed ring time ahead of his proposed autumn showdown with the aforementioned David Haye.

We understand that Paul Butlin, the fighter who was stopped inside two rounds by Anthony Joshua in what was only the Olympic champion’s second outing in the paid ranks, was also on the shortlist to face Briggs –– and accepted the fight –– but his team instead picked Zarate.