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This is the problem with most everyone in this thread. You don't understand today's Boxing scene (no pun intended). Despite Floyd and Broner trying to get you to understand. Chris Eubank gets it, Nigel Benn gets it, Teddy Atlas gets it. Even Sugar Ray Leonard gets it.
We're LONG past the era where you just slug it out against the most dangerous fighter you can find for pennies on the dollar. Boxing is about getting paid big money. Don't mention MMA, because you've got Ronda Rousey's salty ass talking about how she's the highest paid in all of MMA (which isn't true). Even she gets it over in that world.
Boxing is a business and it's about brands. Shannon Briggs brings ONE thing to the table that nobody else can: a character. Americans like over-the-top, crazy characters. Jon 'Bones' Jones, The Rock, Tyson, Hamed, Kimbo Slice, Ken Shamrock...why do you think these guys are still in people's minds?
Remember when Wilder used to be an over-the-top, crazy character? People went nuts for "the next big thing" when he fought Stiverne and now people can hardly stand to watch him in the ring at a time he's trying not to be like Rousey, knocking people out inside of a round or two. They can't win for losing.
Pair a guy like Shannon Briggs, a former champion in his own right, with his antics against a subdued Wilder. Have Briggs call him out as a paper champion who hasn't fought anybody. Let's see if Wilder can treat Briggs like Vitali did OR if Briggs exposes Wilder somehow, because if Briggs exposes Wilder, we'll all KNOW he was nothing but hype.
Either way, that fight is big money if promoted right. It doesn't matter if Briggs is washed up and over the hill. It doesn't matter if Wilder is unrefined and not ready. None of that matters. Wilder is untested and has been touched way too much in his only two title defenses. Briggs doesn't have nearly the reflexes he used to have, but he has presence and power.
But the only real thing that matters is that such a fight, promoted properly, would make BIG money.
Just like Slice/Shamrock made big money when it had no business taking place and Shamrock took a dive. Doesn't matter. It was good for the sport.
We're LONG past the era where you just slug it out against the most dangerous fighter you can find for pennies on the dollar. Boxing is about getting paid big money. Don't mention MMA, because you've got Ronda Rousey's salty ass talking about how she's the highest paid in all of MMA (which isn't true). Even she gets it over in that world.
Boxing is a business and it's about brands. Shannon Briggs brings ONE thing to the table that nobody else can: a character. Americans like over-the-top, crazy characters. Jon 'Bones' Jones, The Rock, Tyson, Hamed, Kimbo Slice, Ken Shamrock...why do you think these guys are still in people's minds?
Remember when Wilder used to be an over-the-top, crazy character? People went nuts for "the next big thing" when he fought Stiverne and now people can hardly stand to watch him in the ring at a time he's trying not to be like Rousey, knocking people out inside of a round or two. They can't win for losing.
Pair a guy like Shannon Briggs, a former champion in his own right, with his antics against a subdued Wilder. Have Briggs call him out as a paper champion who hasn't fought anybody. Let's see if Wilder can treat Briggs like Vitali did OR if Briggs exposes Wilder somehow, because if Briggs exposes Wilder, we'll all KNOW he was nothing but hype.
Either way, that fight is big money if promoted right. It doesn't matter if Briggs is washed up and over the hill. It doesn't matter if Wilder is unrefined and not ready. None of that matters. Wilder is untested and has been touched way too much in his only two title defenses. Briggs doesn't have nearly the reflexes he used to have, but he has presence and power.
But the only real thing that matters is that such a fight, promoted properly, would make BIG money.
Just like Slice/Shamrock made big money when it had no business taking place and Shamrock took a dive. Doesn't matter. It was good for the sport.
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