Klitschko and Briggs in Kiev (press conference)

Lennox was better when he was older. However, after he beat Tyson he probably lost his hunger a bit, and probably felt he'd achieved everything he needed to. Lennox needed to have hunger to be really good, like he was for the Rahman rematch. He also needs to feel the other guy is a threat. He found that out in round two and came back with a vengeance in the third.

Lennox was better when he was older. However, after he beat Tyson he probably lost his hunger a bit, and probably felt he'd achieved everything he needed to. Lennox needed to have hunger to be really good, like he was for the Rahman rematch.

most people consider lewis as a late bloomer, ie around the tyson fight. he actually said so himself "im like fine wine i get better with age" Agreed. You only have to look at the fight to see that Lewis was in fine fighting shape. Not peak, but not far off. And Vitali had still to reach his own prime. Plus it was his first big fight on the main stage. Neither guy was at their absolute best, but they sure brought out the best in each other that night.

Lennox was an elite PAST-prime fighting an elite prime fighter in Vitali Klitschko. Thats the only reason it was even competitive. If it was the PRIME Lennox of 97 who demolished Golota in 1 round and Briggs in 5, Vitali wouldve been knocked out Looke how the golfer, Corrie Sanders was able to knock Vit down... I still pick Vit to win, but he is still in serious danger with briggs...early rounds. most people consider lewis as a late bloomer, ie around the tyson fight. he actually said so himself "im like fine wine i get better with age"

Here's a post from another forum that more or less sums up the mindset of some fans when discussing this fight: I remember a bloated and trembling morbidly obese Lennox Lewis stepping out his wheel chair, staggering into the ring one weary step at a time, collapsing and having a seizure, being helped back to his feet and propped up in his corner. Vitali stormed this helpless old man with everything he had, but Lewis responded with a punch so hard that it caved his face in and knocked his eye out of the socket. The ref was wise to stop it, Vitali would have been killed had the fight been allowed to continue. Shortly after the fight, Lewis died of old age. RIP It would be funnier if it didn't cut so near to the bone (no pun intended).

Lennox was an elite PAST-prime fighting an elite prime fighter in Vitali Klitschko. Thats the only reason it was even competitive. If it was the PRIME Lennox of 97 who demolished Golota in 1 round and Briggs in 5, Vitali wouldve been knocked out Looke how the golfer, Corrie Sanders was able to knock Vit down... I still pick Vit to win, but he is still in serious danger with briggs...early rounds. Come on mate, now you're selling Vit short. Why is it whenever this fight is discussed people can't be level-headed and reasonable? Lennox was a little past prime and out of shape but no where near the extent that people like to portray him as. And Vitali was getting hurt by Lennox's shots and, IMO, close to going down before the stoppage. None of this takes away from the fact that both guys fought their hearts out and that they were probably the toughest opponents either of them had ever fought in their respective careers. And Corrie Sanders a golfer? Sigh. When will the nonsense ever end...

Lennox was an elite PAST-prime fighting an elite prime fighter in Vitali Klitschko. Thats the only reason it was even competitive. If it was the PRIME Lennox of 97 who demolished Golota in 1 round and Briggs in 5, Vitali wouldve been knocked out Looke how the golfer, Corrie Sanders was able to knock Vit down... I still pick Vit to win, but he is still in serious danger with briggs...early rounds. oh dear god...he wasnt knocked down by sanders, it was a push, he stood right back up, it was a clear push. Look how Lewis was freaking KO'ed brutally and savagely by rahman and oliver, Vitali could easily do the same. Also Vitali didnt train like he was fighting for a title, didnt have the time to prepare, nor did he put the money into the training, all of that could have helped. When the worst thing you can say abotu a guy was he lost due to stoppage on cuts, a torn rotator cuff, and he was pushed down once...you know the guys a beast. Never down on the cards, also Vitali doesnt wine about primes. Vitali didnt start focusing on boxing till much later than guys liek Lewis, his prime probably would have been around 2007 if it wasnt for injures. Still, he had 4 years off, recovered from major injuries, and he doesnt make excuses, he just wins, thats all he knows how to do.

that right wouldnt have landed if Klitschko had been able to see. I like Lennox and Vitali, the fact that Klitschko walked through some of those punches is incredible. Hell i dont even care if he was hurt or not, the fact he wasnt out cold. Fact is Klitschko hasnt even been knocked down so the point was, how can someone know that Briggs can hurt him, when he's never been out (neither has Wlad for that matter, although Wlad's been down, he's always got back up within 10). To me the best punch against Vitali are the short shots when he decides to get aggressive. However, Briggs is probably going tot ry to swarm, Vitali will back up a lot I bet in this fight, wait for Briggs to tire and then destroy him. The only thing that Briggs could have said to make me worry is, "I have been an out of shape lazy waste my whole career. Lately I have been running 10 miles aday. Never before could I have ever ran 2." He didnt say that, he still takes no responsibility for the fact he wasted his size and talent, so Vitali takes this easy. Lennox was an elite PAST-prime fighting an elite prime fighter in Vitali Klitschko. Thats the only reason it was even competitive. If it was the PRIME Lennox of 97 who demolished Golota in 1 round and Briggs in 5, Vitali wouldve been knocked out Looke how the golfer, Corrie Sanders was able to knock Vit down... I still pick Vit to win, but he is still in serious danger with briggs...early rounds.

Briggs can certainly promote a fight. Hopefully he'll get into decent shape and make it a decent fight. He gets into the wrong kind of shape. Not to harp on the past but it reminds me a lot fo James Toney training for UFC. Every video was of Toney practicing punching or his standing game...he didnt need to, he already had that down, but still he worked on it. Why? because its easier to work on something youre already good at than to work on your weaknesses. Briggs is the same. Instead of getting into cardio vascular shape, he seems to work solely on strength. He will probably come in around 265. He will be strong and move well for a round or two and then hes done.

Vitali was hurt badly in the 6th round. Started holding after being stunned by a loopy right./ People remember the famous uppercut but it was actually a quick loopy right that put him on queer street.. Its like the 3rd punch in this gif... http://i47.tinypic.com/295e6xj.gif He held on for dear life for the rest of the match... http://www.lennox-goerge.de/lewis/lewis_klitschko_03_500.jpg that right wouldnt have landed if Klitschko had been able to see. I like Lennox and Vitali, the fact that Klitschko walked through some of those punches is incredible. Hell i dont even care if he was hurt or not, the fact he wasnt out cold. Fact is Klitschko hasnt even been knocked down so the point was, how can someone know that Briggs can hurt him, when he's never been out (neither has Wlad for that matter, although Wlad's been down, he's always got back up within 10). To me the best punch against Vitali are the short shots when he decides to get aggressive. However, Briggs is probably going tot ry to swarm, Vitali will back up a lot I bet in this fight, wait for Briggs to tire and then destroy him. The only thing that Briggs could have said to make me worry is, "I have been an out of shape lazy waste my whole career. Lately I have been running 10 miles aday. Never before could I have ever ran 2." He didnt say that, he still takes no responsibility for the fact he wasted his size and talent, so Vitali takes this easy.

Briggs can certainly promote a fight. Hopefully he'll get into decent shape and make it a decent fight.

Sorry I didn't see Vitali "clinging on for dear life" as he walked back to his corner. Show me a video where he was hanging on so he didn't get knocked out. Vitali was hurt badly in the 6th round. Started holding after being stunned by a loopy right./ People remember the famous uppercut but it was actually a quick loopy right that put him on queer street.. Its like the 3rd punch in this gif... http://i47.tinypic.com/295e6xj.gif He held on for dear life for the rest of the match... http://www.lennox-goerge.de/lewis/lewis_klitschko_03_500.jpg

Fast forward to 6:30 of the video. After he gets hit with the overhand he drapes himself all over Lennox and nearly takes him down to the canvas at one point. Thanks bro. Mod, I don't know your name, that's why I keep calling you that. But this is the clip I was looking for.

Sorry I didn't see Vitali "clinging on for dear life" as he walked back to his corner. Show me a video where he was hanging on so he didn't get knocked out. Fast forward to 6:30 of the video. After he gets hit with the overhand he drapes himself all over Lennox and nearly takes him down to the canvas at one point.

You're right mod, I did imply that you could be lying. My apologies. I don't usually come at people like that.

Fair enough. If you think I called you a liar then I apologize, it wasn't my intention. But I do believe that you were watching with blinders on. There was a very distinct moment in that fight, I forget which round but it was near the end, where Lewis was literally trying to push down on Klitschko's back to get him off. Vitali was holding on at the waist and he refused to let go. If I can find it on youtube I will post it. Tim, HUGE Lennox Lewis fan here. I respect your opinion brother.

It has nothing to do with moderating, I didn't see Vitali "holding on to keep from falling over." What I saw is Lewis get hurt bad in round 2. Later I saw Vitali take an awesome uppercut then hold on for a half a second and then walk back to his corner. I don't have to watch it, I had a better view than you did, I was sitting about 30 feet from the ring and I could hear the punches. FYI you don't have to call someone a "liar" because they see a fight a different way than you do.Fair enough. If you think I called you a liar then I apologize, it wasn't my intention. But I do believe that you were watching with blinders on. There was a very distinct moment in that fight, I forget which round but it was near the end, where Lewis was literally trying to push down on Klitschko's back to get him off. Vitali was holding on at the waist and he refused to let go. If I can find it on youtube I will post it.

Anyway regardles of the non-important Vitali-Lewis fight, I think Vitali has nothing to worry about in this fight, Briggs was dangerous when he was younger but he has no stamina for fighting now, I think Vitali knocks him out in 6-7 rounds.

briggs had me laughing, he seems like a good dude. also, i didnt realize that he's fought 3 times this year

If you didn't see him holding on to Lewis' waist - literally to keep from going down then you're either blind or you're lying. Sorry. Mod or no mod, keep it real. Watch that last round, ten seconds before the bell and tell me that Vitali wasn't holding on to Lewis' waist to keep from falling over. It has nothing to do with moderating, I didn't see Vitali "holding on to keep from falling over." What I saw is Lewis get hurt bad in round 2. Later I saw Vitali take an awesome uppercut then hold on for a half a second and then walk back to his corner. I don't have to watch it, I had a better view than you did, I was sitting about 30 feet from the ring and I could hear the punches. FYI you don't have to call someone a "liar" because they see a fight a different way than you do.