BoxRec

The WBA has ordered #3 rated Lucas Browne to fight #5 rated Shannon Briggs for the WBA’s “regular” championship “on or before Dec. 31″

Since Fres Oquendo still hasn’t recovered from last year’s shoulder surgery and wasn’t available to face Browne. The winner has to face Oquendo as a mandatory defense in 120 days, the WBA said.

http://www.ringtv.com/471861-wba-allows ... ant-title/?

It should be an entertaining fight while it lasts.

And Briggs will finally have what he wants. Browne doesn't have good defensive skills and Briggs is still a big puncher, so there's a real chance of an upset.


However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

I'd like to see Briggs pull it off. Opens up a lot of big fights for him.

WBA is just a bunch of morons. There are 3 boxers (not counting Wlad) above Browne in their rankings, plus two more above Briggs. Why Browne vs Briggs ?

1. Luis Ortiz
2. Wladimir Klitschko
3. Alexander Ustinov
4. Fres Oquendo
5. Lucas Browne
6. David Haye
7. Manuel Charr
8. Shannon Briggs

It took them a REALLY long time to determine that Joshua and Wlad can fight for the super title. If they did it faster, Wlad wouldn't have gotten "injured", and we could enjoy that fight.

There are a lot of other examples where their slowness or indecisiveness hurt boxing.

Freedom2013 wrote:It should be an entertaining fight while it lasts.

And Briggs will finally have what he wants. Browne doesn't have good defensive skills and Briggs is still a big puncher, so there's a real chance of an upset.


However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

It will be an interesting fight while it lasts. Should be some real fireworks.

As far as Oquendo goes, the answer is the WBA have absolutely no choice.

Freedom2013 wrote:It should be an entertaining fight while it lasts.

And Briggs will finally have what he wants. Browne doesn't have good defensive skills and Briggs is still a big puncher, so there's a real chance of an upset.


However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

The WBA owes Oquendo a title shot due to a court order.
It's been hanging over their head for a while now. Nobody wants to waste their time with Oquendo so the WBA has actually had some difficulty getting a fight lined up for him.

Perseus wrote:

Freedom2013 wrote:It should be an entertaining fight while it lasts.

And Briggs will finally have what he wants. Browne doesn't have good defensive skills and Briggs is still a big puncher, so there's a real chance of an upset.


However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

The WBA owes Oquendo a title shot due to a court order.
It's been hanging over their head for a while now. Nobody wants to waste their time with Oquendo so the WBA has actually had some difficulty getting a fight lined up for him.

The official word is Oquendo still hasn’t recovered from his shoulder surgery and produced a medical certificate supporting that claim.

That's the official word the actual reality is Oquendo brings no fans or tv networks to the table.
Any fight involving Oquendo is a tough sell.

Does anyone remember that Briggs was beaten half to death by Vitali??? He has not fought a single decent opponent since then. Appalling he is rated. At 45 and after that beating does he pass a brain scan? Or is that why he always fights in out of the way places. Horrible ratings. Although Browne is no killer. Ham and egger with a bit of a punch. He has been brought extremely careful to this spot. Yeah Briggs vs Oquendo 2001..... WBA worst boxing agenda.

Perseus wrote:That's the official word the actual reality is Oquendo brings no fans or tv networks to the table.
Any fight involving Oquendo is a tough sell.

I'm not disputing what they or you are saying

Dancin' Dan wrote:Does anyone remember that Briggs was beaten half to death by Vitali??? He has not fought a single decent opponent since then. Appalling he is rated. At 45 and after that beating does he pass a brain scan? Or is that why he always fights in out of the way places. Horrible ratings. Although Browne is no killer. Ham and egger with a bit of a punch. He has been brought extremely careful to this spot. Yeah Briggs vs Oquendo 2001..... WBA worst boxing agenda.

Briggs took one of the most frightening beatings I have ever see at the hands of Vitali. I was hoping it would get stopped round after punishing round.

I thought the WBA were working to get rid of all the extra belts?! The whole point of the tournament was to eliminate the regular title. What a load of bollocks.

Dancin' Dan wrote:Does anyone remember that Briggs was beaten half to death by Vitali??? He has not fought a single decent opponent since then. Appalling he is rated. At 45 and after that beating does he pass a brain scan? Or is that why he always fights in out of the way places.

I believe Briggs had a brain scan in the U.K last May before he was allowed to fight Emilio Zarate in London.
BTW I wouldn't class London, England as an 'out of the way' place either.

My bad on London- hardly out of the way

Look at Briggs opponents.... Since fighting Vitali in 2010 and taking a horrible beating.... Strictly low level fights. It could be argued that Michael Marrone was his best opponent in six years. Marrone whose last real fight was in 2011. Absolutely zero way Briggs should be rated. His fun smack talking has convinced some he is still a contender.

Dancin' Dan wrote:My bad on London- hardly out of the way

I expect Browne to win this contest. Briggs might be dangerous for a couple of rounds though.
Hopefully he will get a good payday for the fight and then retire gracefully.
What if the unthinkable happens though..........................

Freedom2013 wrote:However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

I can't recall the precise details, but the WBA awarded Oquendo the mandatory challenger status (despite losing his most recent bout) as part of some sort of out-of-court settlement to make him drop his lawsuit that he'd filed against them.

If Oquendo wasn't carrying a shoulder injury, then he would almost certainly be Browne's next opponent instead of Briggs.

lefty wrote:I thought the WBA were working to get rid of all the extra belts?! The whole point of the tournament was to eliminate the regular title. What a load of bollocks.

Fair call.

But Oquendo winning a court ruling for the right to a mandatory title fight painted the WBA into a corner, and after that Browne settled his court case against them with the promise of also being entitled to a mandatory.

Consequently the regular title lives on, at least for now, whether the WBA or the boxing world like it or not.

Enlightened-One wrote:

Freedom2013 wrote:However, I don't like the part about the winner needing to fight Oquendo. Why does the WBA want old inactive boring Fres to fight for a version of their title?

I can't recall the precise details, but the WBA awarded Oquendo the mandatory challenger status (despite losing his most recent bout) as part of some sort of out-of-court settlement to make him drop his lawsuit that he'd filed against them.

If Oquendo wasn't carrying a shoulder injury, then he would almost certainly be Browne's next opponent instead of Briggs.

It wasn't an out of court settlement Oquendo won, it was a court ruling following a hearing.

Oquendo was to be Browne's opponent. However he produced a medical certificate stating he hasn't fully recovered from his shoulder injury and the WBA instead installed him as the opponent of the winner of Browne vs Briggs.

Like a Boss wrote:

lefty wrote:I thought the WBA were working to get rid of all the extra belts?! The whole point of the tournament was to eliminate the regular title. What a load of bollocks.

Fair call.

But Oquendo winning a court ruling for the right to a mandatory title fight painted the WBA into a corner, and after that Browne settled his court case against them with the promise of also being entitled to a mandatory.

Consequently the regular title lives on, at least for now, whether the WBA or the boxing world like it or not.

That's fair enough. It should be for the super title though then. Not sure why they're having Joshua and Klitschko contesting for the super title. Well I do its for money. It's still a load of bollocks though.

lefty wrote:

Like a Boss wrote:

lefty wrote:I thought the WBA were working to get rid of all the extra belts?! The whole point of the tournament was to eliminate the regular title. What a load of bollocks.

Fair call.

But Oquendo winning a court ruling for the right to a mandatory title fight painted the WBA into a corner, and after that Browne settled his court case against them with the promise of also being entitled to a mandatory.

Consequently the regular title lives on, at least for now, whether the WBA or the boxing world like it or not.

That's fair enough. It should be for the super title though then. Not sure why they're having Joshua and Klitschko contesting for the super title. Well I do its for money. It's still a load of bollocks though.

I hate the multiple title shenanigans. But I can't see how Browne, or particularly Oquendo, have genuine claims to the super title.

I don't see Briggs or Oquendo anywhere among the top 30 Heavyweights... Do you have to beat anyone half decent to get ranked -- or get a title shot???

1. Anthony Joshua... 2. Luis Ortiz... 3. Tyson Fury... 4. Deontay Wilder... 5. Wladimir Klitschko... 6. Alexander Povetkin... 7. David Haye... 8. Andy Ruiz... 9. Joseph Parker... 10. Bryant Jennings... 11. Charles Martin... 12. Kubrat Pulev... 13. Johann Duhaupas... 14. Bermane Stiverne... 15. Carlos Takam... 16. Malik Scott... 17. Hugie Fury... 18. Lucas Browne... 19. Mike Perez... 20. Christian Hammer... 21. Ruslan Chagaev... 22. Alexander Ustinov... 23. Dereck Chisora... 24. Erkan Teper... 25. Robert Helenius... 26. Steve Cunningham... 27. Artur Szpilka... 28. Otto Wallin... 29. Czar Glazkov... 30. Dominic Breazeale... 31. Amir Mansour... no Briggs or Oquendo so far

Kalan wrote:I don't see Briggs or Oquendo anywhere among the top 30 Heavyweights... Do you have to beat anyone half decent to get ranked -- or get a title shot???

1. Anthony Joshua... 2. Luis Ortiz... 3. Tyson Fury... 4. Deontay Wilder... 5. Wladimir Klitschko... 6. Alexander Povetkin... 7. David Haye... 8. Andy Ruiz... 9. Joseph Parker... 10. Bryant Jennings... 11. Charles Martin... 12. Kubrat Pulev... 13. Johann Duhaupas... 14. Bermane Stiverne... 15. Carlos Takam... 16. Malik Scott... 17. Hugie Fury... 18. Lucas Browne... 19. Mike Perez... 20. Christian Hammer... 21. Ruslan Chagaev... 22. Alexander Ustinov... 23. Dereck Chisora... 24. Erkan Teper... 25. Robert Helenius... 26. Steve Cunningham... 27. Artur Szpilka... 28. Otto Wallin... 29. Czar Glazkov... 30. Dominic Breazeale... 31. Amir Mansour... no Briggs or Oquendo so far

Oquendo hasn't fought for 51 months, so he isn't likely to be rated anywhere. He won his right to a mandatory title fight via a court finding.

WBA ORDERS BRIGGS VS. BROWNE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES

http://www.ringtv.com/472072-wba-prez-o ... -disputes/?

The WBA’s curious decision to have Shannon Briggs face Lucas Browne for a vacant heavyweight title was made in part as a legal concession to pacify aggrieved parties, WBA president Gilberto Mendoza seemed to suggest to RingTV.com. “My plan was to have only one heavyweight champion,” Mendoza said, “but legal settlements (changed the) WBA plans.”

The WBA made a series of rulings on Tuesday to clarify the heavyweight division after Tyson Fury vacated his belt to deal with personal issues. One decision that seemed to stump fans was the WBA’s order for Briggs to face Browne for the WBA’s “regular” title on or before Dec. 31.

Briggs is 44 and hasn’t faced anyone of significance since he lost to Vitali Klitschko in 2010. Browne won the WBA’s “regular” title after knocking out Ruslan Chagaev in March. He was subsequently stripped of the belt after he tested positive for a banned substance. Yet both are now vying for a title. Here’s a good reason why:

Browne (23-0, 16 knockouts) claimed he was unfairly stripped because he didn’t knowingly take a banned substance and filed a lawsuit against the WBA. Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs) also complained after he was mistakenly dropped in the WBA rankings from No. 4 to No. 7 “without an explanation,” according to Mendoza, which is a violation of the Muhammad Ali Act, he said. The best way to resolve these issues, Mendoza seemed to suggest, was to allow Briggs and Browne a chance to oppose each other for a vacant title.

“Lucas Browne filed a lawsuit after (the) WBA decided to strip him of the title for failing an anti-doping test,” Mendoza said in an email on Wednesday in response to a question of why Briggs and Browne are contending for a title. “The case was settled based on a title opportunity for the vacant championship bout. Shannon Briggs filed a reconsideration after being dropped from #4 to #7 without an explanation in the rankings. Since it breached the Muhammad Ali Act, Brigg’s petition was granted by the WBA Rankings Committee.”

Mendoza pointed a finger at the various manager and promoters who have filed cases against the WBA as reasons the sanctioning organization must sometimes make difficult decisions that can draw criticism. “The WBA is working in good faith and hard in order to have one champion per division,” Mendoza said. “But the conflict of interest leads several managers or promoters to the justice system in order to claim remedies sometimes unfair to the sanctioning bodies. Regarding the critics, there is not much to say for the above-mentioned reasons. There was a mistake done by one of my committee (members in regards to Briggs’ ranking) which I must (take) responsibility.”