SHANNON BRIGGS wants to fight Mike Tyson, and could be one step closer to that dream after his match-up with former Tyson opponent Francois Botha, the “White Buffalo”. The two will meet August 7 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Botha was leading Tyson on all three cards after four rounds, but he got knocked out in the fifth round by a single right to the head.
Tyson is expected to fight October 2 against an undetermined opponent. It will be his first bout since he fought Botha and his first since he was released from jail in Maryland on May 24 after serving 3 1/2 months for assaulting two motorists. The opponent won’t be Briggs (31-2, 25 knockouts). There’s an outside chance the 27-year-old fighter could be Tyson’s opponent in December if all goes well for Tyson in October. Shelly Finkel, Tyson’s adviser, said Briggs is on a list of possible opponents.