Shannon Briggs claims talks for Tommy Fury comeback fight are open

Shannon Briggs, 54, says negotiations are under way for a fight with Tommy Fury later this year. The proposed contest would match the inactive former heavyweight champion with a 27-year-old active cruiserweight.

Briggs made the claim in a social media video, where he also challenged Tommy Fury, his father John and his brother Tyson. He presented the bout as the first step in a wider confrontation with the Fury family, but neither Tommy Fury nor Misfits has confirmed that discussions are taking place.

Briggs has not boxed since 21 May 2016, when he stopped Emilio Ezequiel Zarate in the opening round at London’s O2 Arena. His professional record stands at 60 wins, six defeats, one draw and one no contest, including 53 victories by knockout. He is listed as inactive.

The proposed return would come after more than a decade away from competition. Briggs has a significant size advantage and remains a familiar name, but his current speed, durability and conditioning have not been tested in a professional bout. His notable wins over George Foreman and Siarhei Liakhovich came years ago, while his last fight against elite opposition was a 12-round defeat by Vitali Klitschko in 2010.

Any contest in Britain would require more than an agreement between the fighters. The British Boxing Board of Control requires medical and eye examinations, brain scans and blood tests before issuing a licence, and it can refuse a bout if it considers the matchup excessively dangerous. Age has not prevented a crossover fight from being approved, as shown by Mike Tyson’s professional meeting with Jake Paul, but Briggs’ long inactivity would face close examination.

For Fury, a fight with Briggs would continue a career path built partly around crossover events rather than domestic rankings. Fury has previously boxed Jake Paul, KSI and Eddie Hall, and a meeting with Briggs would offer another commercially recognisable opponent while moving him further away from traditional cruiserweight competition. Briggs’ claim currently amounts to a comeback proposal, not confirmation that a deal is close.