Sultan Ibragimov to fight for WBO Heavyweight

Russia's Sultan Ibragimov will take on Shannon the Cannon Briggs for the WBO Heavyweight title in March, the only top-weight belt not currently held by a fighter from the former Soviet Union.

It was American Briggs who halted the so-called Red Revolution, when he knocked out the Belarus Sergey Lyahovich with only a second remaining in the final round of their title fight last November.

Briggs will fight Ibragimov in his first defense on March 10 at Madison Square Garden.

The two met at the Firebird hotel in New York for some pre-fight sparring, of the verbal variety.