‘Mike Tyson is the best’… Shannon Briggs reveals the encounter with the legend that changed his life forever

EXCLUSIVE: Shannon Briggs had an incredible experience with Mike Tyson that put him on the road to becoming heavyweight world champion.

The American has been on a truly remarkable journey, with the once homeless teenager putting his life into boxing, where he solidified his status as one of the hardest punchers of all time.

WOW: ‘I woke the bear’… How George Groves enraged a monster during a wild trip to Cuba

Shannon Briggs was inspired to box after seeing Mike Tyson running at the park

Currently, Shannon Briggs is in Dubai, UAE, watching the stars of the future go to war in the IBA Men’s Elite World Championships. The amateurs, battling it out for their share of an $8.32 million prize pot, have an opportunity to completely change the trajectory of their lives. And Briggs knows more than anyone about how beneficial boxing can be.

When he was just 12 years old, the warrior, who had a difficult time growing up, spotted Mike Tyson running at the park. That moment lit a fuse in Briggs, who then dedicated every fibre of his being to replicating the success the icon had inside the ring.

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, he beamed: “I saw Mike Tyson as a kid. I used to watch him fight. Whoever thought that I’d become heavyweight champion? I didn’t. I had a rough, tumultuous childhood like Mike Tyson. Riddick Bowe was from my neighbourhood as well. He lived upstairs from me, Mike Tyson lived across the street from me, and I became heavyweight champion just like them. Honestly, our neighbourhood is the only neighbourhood in the world where you have three heavyweight champions from the same neighbourhood — Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Dreams do come true. I love Mike Tyson, he’s the best ever.”

Shannon Briggs claims Rampage Jackson fight is moving closer

While Briggs has already picked up two heavyweight titles, he isn’t finished with boxing quite yet. The 52-year-old is eyeing a showdown with UFC legend, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, claiming that confirmation of the bout is almost here.

Showcasing his trash-talking skills, the New Yorker exclaimed: “I’m looking forward to entertaining the people and hopefully fighting soon. I got a call from Adin Ross the other day. He and his manager want to make the fight with me and ‘RamPIE’ Jackson in March on Brand Risk. That’s the fight we’re looking for. You can’t spell ‘Rampie’ without putting in the word ‘Pie’. He talks a lot of trash. He’s a streamer now. I call him ‘The Streamer’. He was a great MMA fighter, and they always want to transfer over to boxing. So, come on, my boy, I’m going to show you something once and for all.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty/James Sweetnam