Win over DeGale would take Jack to another level
FORMER heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs obviously has as good an eye for talent as he does for self-promotion. Briggs, a Brooklyn native, was in Sweden in 2009 making appearances and scouting boxers for a promotional company he worked with at the time. That’s where he spotted Badou Jack and saw enough talent in the youngster to invite him to America.
“He was early in his career when I saw him fight,” Briggs told the Post on Friday. “He had like two or three fights and I was amazed. I said this kid has potential. In the ring, I thought he was a hell of a fighter and when I talked to him outside of the ring, I was impressed with his demeanor and his stature and how he carried himself.”
A few months later, Briggs flew Jack to America and allowed the young fighter to stay in his home in Florida. Briggs parted ways with the promotional company before Jack could fight for his new promoters, but from there Jack fought for DiBella Entertainment before signing more recently with Floyd Mayweather Promotions.
Jack’s “Coming to America” dreams came true in April 2015 when he won the WBC super middleweight championship by beating Anthony Dirrell on a majority decision. He makes his second title defense Saturday when he puts up his belt against IBF super middleweight champ James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs) of England in a unification bout at Barclays Center. Showtime will televise.
“It’s time for the sport to find new stars,” said Stephen Espinoza, the executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports. “We need fights like Jack-DeGale to create new stars.”
Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Mayweather Promotions, the undercard features Gervonta “Tank” Davis (16-0, 15 KOs) of Baltimore challenging Jose Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) of Puerto Rico for his IBF super featherweight title, while Amanda Serrano (30-1-1, 23 KOs) of Brooklyn defends her women’s WBO super bantamweight title against former champion Yazmin Rivas (359-1, 10 KOs) of Mexico in a 10round matchup to be televised on Showtime Extreme. Other featured fighters on the card include: Ievgen Khytrov, Adam Kownacki, Julian Sosa, Noel Murphy and Thomas Dulorme.
Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) gives Briggs plenty of credit for helping him get to this big stage.
“He’s the guy that brought me to America,” Jack said. “We became good friends. We’re still good friends. He’s an honest guy. He’s a little crazy, but he’s got a big heart.”
Jack, who now lives in Las Vegas, is trying to position himself as one of boxing’s next big stars. A victory of DeGale would be a huge step in that direction.
“He’s very athletic and talented,” Jack said of DeGale. “I want to beat the best James DeGale possible. I hope he’s ready because I’m ready.” DeGale said he’s ready. “I look at Badou Jack, and even though he’s been getting better, I think I’m a much better fighter,” he said. “It’s going to be a great fight, but I will be victorious.”
Jack has made the big-time, which is where Briggs is hoping to return. The 45-year-old has created the “Let’s Go Champ” persona he markets on social media. The objective is to earn a piece of the heavyweight titles he held in 1997 and 2006.
Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs) has been mandated by the WBA to fight Fres Oquendo (37-8, 24 KOs) for the “regular” heavyweight championship belt at a site and date yet to be determined. It will be Briggs’ first title fight since 2010 when he lost to Vitali Klitschko.
“I’ve had a strange life,” Briggs said. “I come from Brooklyn and if you don’t have nothing to prove what makes you stand out? I’ve always got something to prove. I overcame asthma to become heavyweight champion of the world twice and want to keep proving people wrong.”
He definitely was right about Badou Jack.
PREDICTION: Jack by close decision.