Exclusive: 'I'm fighting Klitschko' - Briggs

Shannon Briggs has told ESPN he has agreed a date to fight world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko later this year.

Klitschko - the WBO, IBF, IBO and WBA champion - is set to make his 18th title defence against American Bryant Jennings at Madison Square Garden on April 25th.

However, former heavyweight titleholder Briggs claims he will then take on Klitschko in September, with Hamburg mooted as a potential venue.

Shannon Briggs also interrupted a Wladimir Klitschko press conference in April © Getty Images Enlarge

"I have a date with Klitschko set for September, if not sooner," Briggs told Buncey's Boxing Podcast on ESPN.

"His people have confirmed that - we've got a date. We're looking at September. We're looking at Hamburg, but hopefully we can change that venue to somewhere in America.

"That's what we're working on. Hopefully it can happen, if not in September then July or August. I feel great, I'm in phenomenal shape. I'm looking forward to fighting soon."

Briggs, 42, pulled off several stunts last year in a bid to earn a shot at the Ukranian's belts, gatecrashing Klitschko's open training session ahead of his victory over Kubrat Pulev in November, as well as disrupting a press conference ahead of Klitschko's fight against Alex Leapai last April

A scuffle also broke out between the pair when the American approached Klitschko at a restaurant in Miami, and Briggs even taunted him from a speedboat in Florida while the Ukranian was paddle-surfing.

Klitschko's fight against Jennings will mark the 38-year-old's first on US soil in seven years, though Briggs claims he originally had the bout.

"I had that date, I turned it down," added Briggs. "There was the fact that [American television network] HBO are not big Shannon Briggs fans at the present, they were really pushing for Jennings.

Briggs lost to Vitali Klitschko in October 2010 © Getty Images Enlarge

"I was asked to take the fight in Germany. But I told them that the price wasn't right. This is a bigger fight than any other right now.

"It seems like there wont be a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight for Cinco de Mayo [in May], this is the biggest fight in boxing right now. The people inside and outside of boxing are talking about the heavyweight division which hasn't happened in years."

Briggs has twice held world titles, and is undefeated in his last six heavyweight fights since his defeat to Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title in Berlin in October 2010.

Asked if he would be present at the Garden on April 25th, Briggs confirmed he may be fighting on the same card or at another venue.

"There's no guarantee that Jennings is going to show up," Briggs said, however. "So if he falls out, the champ might step back up, because I love the Garden.

"The world wants to see me and this man [Klitschko] fight. I don't know why he's fighting Jennings. No one knows Jennings. This is a fight no one wants, that no one cares about. This is about money and glory, let's'make it happen in New York City."

Briggs had been America's most recent heavyweight world champion - until Deontay Wilder took that honour by beating WBC titleholder Bermane Stiverne earlier this month in Las Vegas.

"He's OK [Wilder], but Vitali vacated the title, then [Chris] Arreola and Stiverne fought for a vacated title," added Briggs.

"But who said they were the two supposed to fight for a title? The guy [Wilder] was 32-0, as soon as he fought one guy that could actually fight, it went 12 rounds.

"I'm not knocking the guy, but I will knock him out."

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