Shannon Briggs vs. Sultan Ibragimov - Preview and Odds

On Saturday, June 2nd, WBO Heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs will make his first title defense against Sultan Ibragimov at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The undercard will feature heavyweight contender Calvin Brock against Alex Gonzalez and welterweight action with Shamone Alvarez versus Jose Luis Cruz.

BODOG ODDS

Not surprisingly, our friends at Bodog are taking wagers on this heavyweight showdown. The current odds are as follows (with a $500 limit on bets):

Shannon Briggs +135

Sultan Ibragimov -165

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FIGHTERS

SHANNON “THE CANNON” BRIGGS

Briggs stands 6’4” and normally weighs around 265 pounds. He is 35 years old. His professional record is 48-4-1 with 42 knockouts. He is currently the only non-Russian to hold a Heavyweight belt. Notable wins include:

George Foreman (by decision)

Ray Mercer (TKO in 7 - Mercer was 44 years old)

Sergei Liakhovich (TKO in 12 - to win the WBO title)

He has lost to such fighters as Lennox Lewis (TKO in 5) and Jameel McCline (Decision). He drew with Francois Botha in 1999.

STYLE

While is conditioning is a question mark (weighed 227 vs. Foreman and 268 in his last fight), Briggs is a massive man with tremendous power, a solid jab and a terrifying right hand. His gameplan is usually to just beat his opponent silly before he runs out of steam.

STRENGTH

Briggs has power in both hands, and his best punch is the left hook. He’s got plenty of guts (see his fight against Lennox Lewis), and “quit” isn’t in his vocabulary.

WEAKNESS

His weight seems to fluctuate wildly from fight to fight, and this is indicative of someone who doesn’t train properly. He tends to run out of gas in the middle to late rounds, and the added weight doesn’t help his ability to land volleys or move away from his opponent’s shots.

SULTAN IBRAGIMOV

Ibragimov stands 6’2” and weighs 221 pounds. He is a 32-years-old southpaw. He won the silver medal for Russia in the 2000 Summer Olympics. His professional record is 20-0-1 with 17 knockouts. Notable wins include:

Lance Whitaker (TKO in 7)

Javier Mora (TKO in 1)

STYLE

A product of the former Soviet sports program, Ibragimov is a left-handed boxer-puncher. While he possesses the power expected from a man of his size, he is also technically sound.

STRENGTH

Ibragimov is very thorough when preparing for a fight, and his takes his time in the gym very seriously. He has natural power, sound fundamentals, and his best punches are the right hook and straight left.

WEAKNESS

There have been some questions about his ability to finish opponents when he has them in trouble. He really hasn’t fought against a top level of competition. There have also been questions about his stamina, as he faded down the stretch in his 2006 draw with Ray Austin.

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Shannon Briggs vs. Sultan Ibragimov - Preview and Odds