By Mark Vester
WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs is taking no chances when he meets undefeated Sultan Ibragimov on March 10 at the theater in New York's Madison Square Garden.
The Arizona Republic reports that Briggs sounded has replaced trainer Chuck McGregor, the man who worked his corner when he upset Sergei Liakhovich for the title in November.
McGregor said that he was told that former middleweight champ John David Jackson would train Briggs, but recently he was also told that Zab Judah's dad, Yoel, is possibly training Briggs as well. McGregor was told that Briggs wanted Jackson because Ibragimov is a southpaw, and so was Jackson when he fought as a pro.
"I've been around this game too long. It's his right to hire whoever he wants," McGregor said.
McGregor said that Ibragimov asked for some of his trained heavyweights, David Bostice and Malcolm Tann, to come to his camp as sparring partners towards the Briggs bout.
"But I said no," McGregor said. "It wouldn't be right. I don't want it to look like sour grapes. For me, it's not. I just wish they had told me up front. But I will be cheering. I'll be cheering USA, that's all I can say."
