Comments Thread For: Possible Dream? Briggs and Audley Make Their Final Stand

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Thomas Gerbasi - If boxing matches were fought between the lines of newspapers or in press conferences and phone interviews, Shannon Briggs and Audley Harrison would have been world champions already, celebrated as revered spokesmen for their sport much like the men that came before them, fighters who only need one name to describe them: Ali, Tyson, Louis, Marciano, Dempsey.

In fact, as fall gets underway, it should have been the Yank and the Brit defending their titles against Vitali Klitschko and David Haye, and not the other way around. But fights are won in the ring, and to a certain extent in the gym. And somewhere along the line, things got distorted and short-circuited for two of the more heavily-publicized heavyweights of this era, and instead of champions, they are merely challengers, seen as unworthy contenders for the crown. Yet in this day and age, what is true worthiness for a title? It may very well be determined by being one of the rare few to sign on the dotted line and actually be willing to fight.

Briggs and Harrison signed on that line more than once, as they’ve had their chances to leave a legacy of concrete accomplishments and not just What Ifs.

Harrison was a super heavyweight Olympic Gold medalist for Great Britain in 2000, but some believe he may have left his best fighting form in the amateurs, as the majority of his biggest pro fights have ended in disappointment, not triumph. [Click Here To Read More]

[charlieg]

Briggs a punch away from defeating Lennox Lewis? Right, just like most of the chumps the Klitschkos put away are a punch away from defeating them. Lewis was never in serious trouble in that fight and was nonchalant in the way he dispatched Shannon Briggs, dropping his guard and taking flush punches and grinning before retaliating with devastating combinations.

Audley Harrison has never shown in the pro ranks that he has a world title in him. He has a punchers chances versus Haye, nothing more, and did not merit this title shot. The only reason he has a world title shot is because he is British and - ironically due to underachievement - famous. His accomplishments, if you could call it that, in his professional career are nearly embarrassing for a man of his self-stated aspirations. A European title won against an old, shot Sprott, and a prize fighter tournament victory against some of the fattest, sloppiest domestic fighters that could be found in the game today.

War Audley!

[ChopperRead]

This talk of Briggs and Harrison (and other contenders) "saving boxing" often seems to be code for "saving it from the domination of two white European heavyweights." Otherwise, I don't see what they are "saving" boxing from. The Klitschkos are on top because they are by far the best. The only thing Harrison and Briggs have in common is their skin color.

There also seems to be conventional wisdom now that downgrades Vitali in favor of Wlad, but I ain't buying it -- this idea is a fairly recent development. Vitali is also far more athletic than some give him credit for -- witness him showing off the footwork many didn't think he even possessed against Cris Arreola. The former kickboxing champ is actually agile for such a big man. But journalists engage in groupthink, and Gerbasi is parroting the latest party line re the Klitschko Brothers here.

[Dawerlzgreatest]

Briggs>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Harrison

[throbk1974]

Hey, Harrison looks like Samuel L. Jackson in that pic! LOL!!

[Roger Yomama]

Briggs a punch away from defeating Lennox Lewis? Right, just like most of the chumps the Klitschkos put away are a punch away from defeating them. Lewis was never in serious trouble in that fight and was nonchalant in the way he dispatched Shannon Briggs, dropping his guard and taking flush punches and grinning before retaliating with devastating combinations.

Audley Harrison has never shown in the pro ranks that he has a world title in him. He has a punchers chances versus Haye, nothing more, and did not merit this title shot. The only reason he has a world title shot is because he is British and - ironically due to underachievement - famous. His accomplishments, if you could call it that, in his professional career are nearly embarrassing for a man of his self-stated aspirations. A European title won against an old, shot Sprott, and a prize fighter tournament victory against some of the fattest, sloppiest domestic fighters that could be found in the game today.

War Audley!

Briggs had Lewis backing up in the first round and very nearly caught him cold. Granted, after that Lewis just took him apart but he Briggs did make Lewis do the chicken dance for a brief moment. Check out the last 30 seconds of round 1.

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[Dave Rado]

Briggs, the most talked about young heavyweight in the game since Tyson back in the early and mid-90s, was a punch away from glory when he fought Lennox Lewis in 1998, and even won a portion of the heavyweight crown with a last second (literally) knockout of Sergei Liakhovich in 2006, only to lose it less than seven months later in a listless performance against Sultan Ibragimov. [Click Here To Read More]

He did far more than win a paper portion of the alphabet Heavyweight crown against a nobody in 2006 - he won the lineal Heavyweight crown, which is worth far more than all the alphabet belts combined, when he controversially beat Foreman in 1997. He lost the title in his next fight, and few thought he deserved the decision against Foreman, but it's still weird that the article doesn't mention this, as it's by far Briggs' most significant achievement.

[Dave Rado]

Briggs a punch away from defeating Lennox Lewis? Right, just like most of the chumps the Klitschkos put away are a punch away from defeating them.

Either you haven't watched the fight or you're blind. Lewis was in serious trouble at the end of round 1. And the fight was competitive until almost the very end.

[Dave Rado]

This talk of Briggs and Harrison (and other contenders) "saving boxing" often seems to be code for "saving it from the domination of two white European heavyweights." Otherwise, I don't see what they are "saving" boxing from. The Klitschkos are on top because they are by far the best. The only thing Harrison and Briggs have in common is their skin color.

How could the author's celebration of the possibility of Harrison beating Haye be anything to do with skin colour???? Haye is also black. Your race-based paranoia is almost as bad as Tunney's sometimes.

[Dave Rado]

Briggs>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Harrison

He was. He's not any more. He's ranked far lower than Audley by boxrec for a good reason. He hasn't had a meaningful win for nearly five years, has been fighting complete tomato cans (people ranked well outside the top 100) for the last four years, his ability to go beyond one round hasn't been tested since 2007, and he's known to gas quickly in most fights that do go beyond a round.