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After much anticipation, it seems that former UFC champion Rampage Jackson will indeed step into the boxing ring against Shannon Briggs. Jackson, who last fought in late 2019 with a knockout loss to Fedor Emelianenko, had been without a fight deal since Bellator declined to renew his contract following the defeat.
In 2021, Briggs issued a challenge to Jackson for a boxing match, despite his own limited activity in the ring since 2016. Both fighters served as coaches for the short-lived Triller Triad Combat, leading to speculation about a potential showdown between them. However, as Triller scaled back its operations, the fight seemed unlikely, with Jackson focusing on an MMA comeback in 2023.
The turning point came when Jackson and Briggs met at the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou event in Saudi Arabia last year, where they announced plans for a boxing match in 2024. While initially teasing a February date, it took some time for the details to be finalized.
Taking to Instagram, Jackson confirmed the bout, scheduled for June 1st, without revealing further details about the event's promotion. Briggs later released a video confirming the match, expressing his excitement after more than two years of waiting for the fight to materialize.
In his video announcement, Jackson expressed his eagerness to silence Briggs, who had been vocal about their potential matchup for years. While this boxing match promises to be lucrative for Jackson, it raises questions about his MMA career. Last year, he announced plans to compete in the United Fight League against Darrill Schoonover, but no fight date was ever set for the matchup.