Shannon Briggs grew up on the tough streets of Brooklyn. As an adult, he became a professional boxer where he amassed a professional record of 51-6-1(45 KOs). Briggs is best known for his devastating power and 30 of his 45 knockouts have come in the first round. He is most well known for winning a close decision of George Foreman to claim the Linear Heavyweight Title. After Briggs beat George Foreman he then lost to Lennox Lewis for the WBC heavyweight title. In their 1998 fight, Briggs had Lewis in trouble early but lost by TKO in the fifth round.
Shannon won the WBO heavyweight title when he knocked out Sergei Liakhovich in the last round of a November 4, 2006, matchup.
In his first title defense Shannon Briggs was to face Sultan Ibragimov on March 10, 2007; however, Briggs pulled out of the fight because he was diagnosed with "aspirational pneumonia." The fight was rescheduled fifty days later in Atlantic City on June 2, 2007, with Briggs losing in a unanimous decision.
On October 16, 2010 Briggs fought in a WBC title challenge against Vitali Klitschko in Hamburg. He endured a heavy beating for 12 rounds and lost in a unanimous decision. After the fight he was taken to a hospital where he was treated in intensive care and found to have suffered a left orbital fracture (along with another facial fracture), a broken nose, a burst ear drum, and a torn left bicep. Even though he lost this fight he showed tremendous heart and toughness, enduring punishment that would have put most heavyweights on the canvas.
