Shannon Briggs takes on Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in the latter’s pro boxing debut on June 8, 2024 in Qatar. The tagline for this bout is Rumble of Titans: Duel in Desert. It certainly reflects the matchup between the former lineal and WBO heavyweight boxing champion against the former UFC light heavyweight champion.
This prizefight has been discussed for years and Zab Judah facilitated setting up this bout finally. Briggs actually worked for Zab’s dad doing demolition in Brownsville at 16 as a homeless teenager.
The Brownsville connections also extend to Mike Tyson and Briggs intends to set up a gym there. Not only to honor the legacy of world champions from that 1.8-mile Brooklyn, NY space like Briggs, Tyson, and Riddick Bowe but to create a space to generate many new world champions for the future.
Shannon Briggs
Zab Judah introduced him to Hossama Khan (one of the event promoters) with an appearance at a meet and greet leading to eventual contractual agreements for this contest.
Triller and their Triad Combat show teased this match years ago with Jackson and Briggs captaining a team MMA vs team Boxing event, respectively, with hybrid rules inside a triangular ring.
Considering that context, when Briggs was discussing this bout, he told Cageside Press’ Dylan Bowker on Bowks Talkin’ Bouts that “I’m gonna make an example of him to all the MMA fighters. He should never have took this fight.”
Briggs did praise Rampage’s work ethic leading into this fight however. It’s not lost on Shannon Briggs that Jackson will be a very powerful fighter inside the ring. The bombastic bruiser playfully claimed each man needs the KO here. Just to stave off the residual embarrassment of being knocked out by the other, more than the glory of the win itself.
‘The Cannon’ laughed and said Jackson’s pro debut in boxing will be his last fight in the sport. It has been years since Briggs fought and per his account, many fighters ducked him and he ardently wanted to compete this whole time.
Rampage Jackson vs Shannon ‘The Cannon’
Beyond his accolades as the former WBO and lineal heavyweight boxing champion Briggs has done K1 and garnered a kickboxing win in that outing.
To that point, he seems intrigued in an MMA bout with Rampage as a rematch and when asked about that idea, Briggs said, “I asked SDK and Hossama [the promoters] ‘can we do a contract now saying that the second fight will be in Qatar in MMA?’ I know the world would want to see him choke me and beat the sh*t out of me and have me sh*t on myself. I know that.”
“He would love that, choke me so bad that I can’t breathe, and put me unconscious. The world would want to see that but I got a trick for them, champ, I’mma kick his ass in MMA too. I could fight bro. I could fight. I’m a street fighter, I could fight. So he gonna see and I’m fast.”
“Once I knock him out in boxing, he gonna try to, in an MMA fight, he gonna try to wrestle me. When he go to wrestle me, I’mma punch him so hard in the top of his head. They gonna have to have the fight in the hospital; in the waiting room of the hospital. That’s; I told SDK and Hossama they should build a hospital right next to the fight.”
Rumble of Titans: Duel in Desert
Shannon Briggs was frequently talking about MMA pies during our chat, which was his preferred language for a “can”/lesser opponent. When Francis Ngannou vs Tyson Fury was mentioned, Briggs felt like he would have knocked out Ngannou and wasn’t sure why Fury underperformed there to such a degree. He also does not highly favour Ngannou’s chances against Anthony Joshua during their Friday fight.
