Former Cruiserweight Champ Scores Thrilling TKO2 at “Phoenix Rising” event at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona
Former Heavyweight Champ Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs’ Fight KO’d by Opponent’s Vision Trouble
Former world cruiserweight champion Vasiliy “The Tiger” Jirov (38-3-1, 32 KOs) made a successful return to the ring Saturday night against hard-punching spoiler Jonathan Williams… but, as is always the case with Jirov, not without a few moments of suspense.
Fighting in the main event of Neworld Promotions debut event, Jirov had to climb off the canvas from a flash knockdown in round one to drop Williams three times in round two and earn the TKO.
“Vasiliy can’t be in a bad fight,” said relieved manager Ivaylo Gotzev, afterward. “There was a flash knockdown, but all it did was put Vasiliy back in the right state of mind to go for the kill. The shot he got hit with was his welcome back to the fight game. In the second round, Vasiliy showed that “The Tiger” is truly back.”
Jirov, who is once again campaigning as a cruiserweight, says he will stay busy in the upcoming year to help him regain his sharpness.
In what was to be the main supporting bout, former lineal and WBO Heavyweight Champion Shannon Briggs (48-5-1, 42 KOs) had his comeback fight against New Mexico’s Arron Lyons called off when Lyons failed the pre-fight medical exam.
Gotzev says he will be announcing both former champions’ next appearances in the near future.