After huge public demand, former two-time world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs has been confirmed to fight at Haye Day on May 21 at The O2, with the view to a battle David Haye later in the year if they are both victorious.
Nicknamed ‘The Cannon’, Briggs brings a wealth of experience with a record of 59 wins (52KO’s) 6 loses. Briggs has been actively pursuing a fight with The Hayemaker for a number of months but will have to overcome his Haye Day opponent in order to challenge the former two-weight world champion.
Briggs returns to the ring following his second round knockout of fellow American, Michal Marrone in September 2015. At 44 years of age, the larger than life Briggs has a host of big name fights under his belt, having previously shared the ring with boxing legends such as George Foreman, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko. A fight with The Hayemaker will now be on the cards, if Briggs can defeat his as yet unknown Haye Day opponent.
Commenting on the news, David Haye said: “I used to find Briggs funny, chasing Klitschko around the world and constantly harassing him. But when it started happening to me, it truly isn’t anything to laugh at. The fact he came unannounced to London banging down my gym door, scaring my secretary half to death shows he needs to be taught a serious lesson about respect!”
“The public wants to see the fight, so they convinced me to add him to my undercard. If that chump can beat somebody, then I will fight him after. I’m going to put an end to the ‘let’s go champ’ movement and change it to ‘let’s go chump’ – because that’s all he is, an old chump who goes round screaming, shouting and bothering people.”
Haye added: “I’m not just going to fight him, I’m going to knock him out. He can take a lot of punishment and is a bit of a tough guy, but let’s he how long he can stay standing when I start to rain down Hayemaker’s on his big head! That Chump is going to regret ever taking that flight to Heathrow to start harassing me!”
Commenting on a potential bout with Haye, Shannon Briggs said: “I want that! I took the MRI, he’s scared. He’s scared of me. I’m the champ and he’s the chump. Your comeback is going to be cut short by the champ. Last week I met with his lawyers and we shook on a deal. Everybody got to see for themselves that he’s a scared man.”
The addition of Shannon Briggs to Haye Day’s undercard supports Haye’s pledge that May’s Haye Day extravaganza will be even bigger and better than January when more than 16,000 spectators packed into The O2 to witness Haye deliver a signature right hand to KO top 10 WBA ranked Mark de Mori.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8sWsfh40Ms
The night provided fans with knockout entertainment both in and outside the ring with Kiss FM DJ’s Ricky and Melvin keeping the crowd on their feet and a surprise live performance from Sigma. Haye continues: “The undercard is hotting-up nicely as is the live entertainment – trust me, this is a night you won’t want to miss!”
The Hayemaker faces the undefeated Arnold ‘The Cobra’ Gjerjaj 29 wins (21 KO’s) and no loses at Haye Day May 21.The Cobra boasts an impressive record and currently holds the second longest winning streak in heavyweight boxing, behind only the current WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who is yet to be beaten in his 36 professional fights. The Cobra has impressive pedigree having sparred with the current WBA and WBO heavyweight champion and, the man he beat for those titles, Wladimir Klitschko.
Commenting on his upcoming fight, Haye said: “The Cobra is a dangerous proposition. He’s a proper heavyweight – standing at 6 foot 5 inches and tipping the scales at over 17 stone. He’s unbeaten in 29 fights and has delivered 21 KO’s. He is hungry for a world title shot and his physical attributes make his extremely dangerous. I will not be taking this guy lightly but once I knock him out I’ll turn my attentions to Briggs.”
Tickets to Haye Day at The O2 on May 21 are available on general sale now via www.theo2.co.uk.
