“Like two bats hitting” – Former boxing champ Shannon Briggs on how he broke down kickboxer in unique bout

Shannon Briggs is one of the top names in the world of boxing.

“Like two bats hitting” – Former boxing champ Shannon Briggs on how he broke down kickboxer in unique bout

Shannon Briggs (image credit- YouTube)

In 2004, the combat sports world got to witness an unprecedented crossover between boxing and kickboxing. This was when the former heavyweight champion, Shannon Briggs entered a kickboxing fight against Tom Erikson. Furthermore, Erikson is a retired American mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. Subsequently, he had a background in collegiate wrestling and later transitioned to MMA and professional wrestling. In addition, Erikson competed in various MMA promotions, including the PRIDE Fighting Championships in Japan.

Similarly, Briggs had a successful career in the heavyweight division and became a two-time world champion. Throughout his career, he faced several notable opponents, including George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, and Vitali Klitschko.

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Furthermore, Briggs was known for his powerful punching and charismatic personality, often using the catchphrase ‘Let’s go, champ!’ Hence, the matchup between the boxer and the kickboxer was an intense one. Subsequently, years later, while discussing the fight, Briggs stated,

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It sounded like two bats hitting each other. I said if he kicked me one more time, I had to go down. I can't take it. I don't care.

Since it was a kickboxing bout, the leg kicks proved to be the greatest challenge for Briggs. However, he continued to stay on his feet, even though he was in unbearable pain from the leg kicks. Furthermore, Briggs landed a few jabs on Erikson’s body, but it didn’t faze him at all.

This caused Erikson to approach Briggs confidently and land a few punches after his kicks. Subsequently, Briggs used this opportunity to land two solid shots at Erikson in close range. In the end, Briggs emerged victorious in the different matchups because of his impressive power.

Shannon Briggs’s most important fight 

The above fight was significant, especially since it was a kickboxing bout. Regardless, Briggs was able to win against his opponent, who had the upper hand. However, Briggs has achieved several impressive victories across his career, and one of them was his intense fight against Sergei Liakhovich.

Shannon Briggs
Shannon Briggs (image credit- Marca)

The fight between Shannon Briggs and Liakhovich took place on November 4, 2006. In this bout, Shannon Briggs defeated Liakhovich to become the WBO heavyweight champion. The fight took place at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

The victory was significant for Briggs, as he secured the WBO heavyweight title by stopping Liakhovich in the 12th round. This win marked the second time Briggs became a world heavyweight champion during his professional boxing career.

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