April nineteenth in Dubai, UAE. Last month Briggs turned 53 years old, and Lovejoy blew out 41 candles a fortnight earlier. Briggs' last pro bout was in May of 2016. Lovejoy's professional debut was in February of 2016. Both men have been embroiled with Don King in the past, if we're fumbling for similarities. Both also have very high KO percentages (Lovejoy with all twenty of his victories and Briggs with 53 of his sixty coming by stoppage). Lovejoy is a dozen years younger and an inch taller, but lost in his only world title bout (kayoed in two by Mahmoud Charr for the WBA regular). Briggs is a former lineal HW champ, albeit nearly three decades ago. So weird.
After all that nonsense of fighting Rampage Jackson. They played people for fools for so long. Lovejoy is a joke. Most padded record ever.
Dreadful. I thought he was going to come back to fight Ibeabuchi, but Ike apparently thought better of the comeback.
Lovejoy's last fight was a split draw with Ayman Farouk Abbas, who is 6 years older than Lovejoy (Lovejoy is 41, Abbas is 47). Abbas was knocked down in the final round. But judge Mostafa Elqiliny from Egypt scored the fight in Abbas' favour (57-56) and if an older uncle could outbox a younger uncle for 3 rounds, only being deducted a point for a knockdown, I don't think the younger uncle could stop the Cannon, a more decorated and seasoned fighter, despite the age advantage. The other judges did give a couple rounds to Abbas keep in mind, but the 2nd judge Ali Elshakary scorecard was 57-57 and 3rd judge Omar Salah scored the bout 56-57. And it's funny how I bring up Abbas because he was scheduled to fight Ibeabuchi this February but Ike told me that his fight was cancelled by his promoters (Zeus Sports and Entertainment Ltd.). I think Ike demolishes both Abbas and Lovejoy.
The Rampage thing was actually great and the build up would have only gotten better, too bad they didn’t end up doing that. I honestly thought Rampage would beat him even with boxing rules if I’m being honest….
Damn, poll is 6-0 for the 53 year old, nine years inactive Briggs. Forum rules unanimously no-confidence for Lovejoy.
Let's just hope the upcoming KO1 victory for Shannon, doesn't go to his head, and make him do something silly like getting the ring with a Bakole or Dubois. Although Briggs doesn't seem wrapped too tight, so I'm not writing it off.
