Tweet
Ibragimov, Briggs post-fight presser!
June 3, 2007
By Jason Stern
Shannon Briggs entered the press conference following his lackluster WBO heavyweight title-losing effort to Sultan Ibragimov with a cut under his right eye, an entourage in tow, and his charming blend of melodrama and comedy on full display: "I had pneumonia. I was on Zithromax for three days, antibiotics for fifteen days. Don King took me to the best pulmonary doctors in the country. The doctor told me not to fight. I told him I would pull out if he'd pay me $1.8 million dollars."
Briggs claimed that his March bout with pneumonia never fully subsided, but that he was forced to move ahead with the fight: "They called me a liar and a phony. They threatened to sue me. They said I'd never get another fight…that I'd never fight on TV again." When asked by ********* to clarify who threatened him, an exasperated Briggs replied, "I'm not going to stand here and point fingers but..." He then pointed his finger at Leon Margules, Ibragimov's promoter, and continued, "...it's politics."
Despite his medical excuse, Briggs seemed to feel he did enough to retain his title: "[Ibragimov] ran. He felt my power early and then stayed away. I felt that I would knock him out right up until the end. I was the aggressor tonight." He even cited HBO commentator Larry Merchant in his defense: "Larry was crying on TV last week that in order to win the title, you have to take the title. He didn't do that."
After thanking his team of supporters and friends, a relatively solemn Briggs reflected on his legacy: "With all due respect to Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson, I'm the greatest of all time because I did it with asthma. I won the heavyweight title twice with a disease." Briggs then hinted at retirement: "Boxing is going to be a stepping stone in my future. There are other things I'd like to do." He then reeled off a list of upcoming film projects he is working on. His manager Scott Hirsch seemed to disagree: "We will be back."
New WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov is a man of few words, but that didn't stop him from giving most of the credit to his trainer, Jeff Mayweather, for coming up with an effective game plan: "First few rounds, be very careful. At end of each round, my trainer told me I was doing good. Shannon wasn't able to land the left hook. That's his favorite counterpunch."
When asked if he was hurt by a hard right that landed flush in the first round, Ibragimov replied, "I have to watch the tape. Once I go in the ring, I feel nothing. I just think 'I must win.'"
He also defended his decision to not go for the knockout after an exhausted Briggs fell to the canvas in round ten: "He's always dangerous."
For his part, Mayweather seemed pleased with his fighter's performance. "The fight went exactly as we worked in the gym. Shannon thought he was big and strong and was going to impose his will but [Ibragimov] hits just as hard. It was like a sparring session."
As for Ibragimov's future plans, promoter Leon Margules mentioned both Calvin Brock and Evander Holyfield as potential opponents, but also stated that Ibragimov would like to defend his title in Russia.
(copied from *********.com)
June 3, 2007
By Jason Stern
Shannon Briggs entered the press conference following his lackluster WBO heavyweight title-losing effort to Sultan Ibragimov with a cut under his right eye, an entourage in tow, and his charming blend of melodrama and comedy on full display: "I had pneumonia. I was on Zithromax for three days, antibiotics for fifteen days. Don King took me to the best pulmonary doctors in the country. The doctor told me not to fight. I told him I would pull out if he'd pay me $1.8 million dollars."
Briggs claimed that his March bout with pneumonia never fully subsided, but that he was forced to move ahead with the fight: "They called me a liar and a phony. They threatened to sue me. They said I'd never get another fight…that I'd never fight on TV again." When asked by ********* to clarify who threatened him, an exasperated Briggs replied, "I'm not going to stand here and point fingers but..." He then pointed his finger at Leon Margules, Ibragimov's promoter, and continued, "...it's politics."
Despite his medical excuse, Briggs seemed to feel he did enough to retain his title: "[Ibragimov] ran. He felt my power early and then stayed away. I felt that I would knock him out right up until the end. I was the aggressor tonight." He even cited HBO commentator Larry Merchant in his defense: "Larry was crying on TV last week that in order to win the title, you have to take the title. He didn't do that."
After thanking his team of supporters and friends, a relatively solemn Briggs reflected on his legacy: "With all due respect to Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson, I'm the greatest of all time because I did it with asthma. I won the heavyweight title twice with a disease." Briggs then hinted at retirement: "Boxing is going to be a stepping stone in my future. There are other things I'd like to do." He then reeled off a list of upcoming film projects he is working on. His manager Scott Hirsch seemed to disagree: "We will be back."
New WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov is a man of few words, but that didn't stop him from giving most of the credit to his trainer, Jeff Mayweather, for coming up with an effective game plan: "First few rounds, be very careful. At end of each round, my trainer told me I was doing good. Shannon wasn't able to land the left hook. That's his favorite counterpunch."
When asked if he was hurt by a hard right that landed flush in the first round, Ibragimov replied, "I have to watch the tape. Once I go in the ring, I feel nothing. I just think 'I must win.'"
He also defended his decision to not go for the knockout after an exhausted Briggs fell to the canvas in round ten: "He's always dangerous."
For his part, Mayweather seemed pleased with his fighter's performance. "The fight went exactly as we worked in the gym. Shannon thought he was big and strong and was going to impose his will but [Ibragimov] hits just as hard. It was like a sparring session."
As for Ibragimov's future plans, promoter Leon Margules mentioned both Calvin Brock and Evander Holyfield as potential opponents, but also stated that Ibragimov would like to defend his title in Russia.
(copied from *********.com)
Comment