Shannon Briggs On MMA, Gives Big Props!

[killerinstinct]

A recent interview conducted by HACnews with former 2x Heavyweight boxing champion Shannon Briggs gives a great piece of his opinion of MMA. Here's the snippet.

HACnews.com: One of your other victories, Ray Mercer, decided after he hung 'em up to try his hand in an MMA cage, and the result against glorified street fighter Kimbo Slice wasn't so great. You've also had a K1 fight before. Has the thought of MMA ever crossed your mind?

BRIGGS: I was actually one of the first guys approached by the UFC in early 2000, I won't say I was one of the very first but one of the first boxers. And I was affiliated with the guys at American Top Team, and I still consider myself a friend and team member, and I went to Vegas to speak with Dana White, and they wanted me to fight the champion at the time, who I think was Tim Sylvia. But we couldn't agree on the terms, for what it was worth to put my body on the line against an MMA grappler. I mean that would be like me trying to play golf. Now if they were in the boxing arena that would be different. But I felt that I was worth more than what they offered. Then I went to Japan to do the K1, and I got the shit kicked out of me, but I still beat him in the first round, but I can still feel it to this day, I mean sometimes just the thought of it hurts. So that's not my forte, I'm going to keep my big ass out of it. It would take me 20 years for me to become a good MMA fighter. I don't have that kind of time on my side. I'm sticking with what I know. I have all respect for it, but it's like me trying to become a surfer right now, it just wouldn't happen. I would hate to meet one of those guys in an alley though.

The entire interview is very good and entertaining, he's super pissed about the politics in boxing and talks about his future as well as the word association and get2know segments. This is the first interview since he lost his title. Good read.

Shannon Briggs Interview
It's always nice to see boxers give mma it's proper respect in my opinion.