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Briggs claims WBO heavyweight belt

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LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- American Shannon Briggs knocked Sergei Liakhovich through the ropes one second before the end of the last round to win the WBO heavyweight title in dramatic style.

Briggs, who trailed on all three judges' scorecards entering the 12th round, broke a stranglehold on the heavyweight thrones by ex-Soviet fighters when referee Bobby Ferrara called out Liakhovich as he fell out of the ring.

By winning the second-longest fight of his career, Briggs improved to 48-4 with one draw by winning his 42nd victory inside the distance.

It was his 12th triumph in a row over the past four years.

"I was tired. I used a lot of energy in the first round trying to get him out," Briggs said. "I almost blew it. I would have probably gone home and shot myself in the head if I hadn't won tonight."

Liakhovich, who fell to 23-2 in only his second fight over the past 22 months, led on two judges' cards by 106-103 and the other by 105-104.

"I'm OK. I didn't fight my fight. I fought his fight," Liakhovich said. "It just didn't happen. I took his best shot. He caught me right on the chin. It was just a lack of punches before. I wasn't right there."

The WBO title is the least-regarded of the four main sanctioning body crowns that all belonged to former Soviet fighters until Liakhovich lost.

Russian giant Nikolai Valuev owns the WBA belt while Kazak-born Oleg Maskaev has the WBC crown and Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine holds the IBF title.

"We want Klitschko. We want Oleg Maskaev," said Briggs' promoter Don King. "We want them all until we unify the crown."

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