1997 Briggs drops out of his fight, in steps 11-0 Vitali Klitschko

I did a search and saw a bunch of hypotheticals for this one, but none like this. Can the relatively green Vitali beat last stand George? Or would the crafty older George prove too much too soon?

 

Hard to say. Vitali is relatively unproven at that time, but George seems ready to go, and the judges at the venue seem ready to get him out of there. I'm sure that he'd put on a better show than Briggs, but that's about it.

 

GF wouldn't take the fight. Shannon Briggs "earned" the fight with GF by getting knocked out by Darroll Wilson. It's also a safe bet to assume that team Foreman knew that Briggs had asthma problems. GF was not looking for tough fights. A tough, 6-7, 250 pound fighter with an excellent amateur pedigree was not the type opponent GF's team wanted.

 

This is false Briggs won 4 in a row after the Wilson loss. Jorge Valdes and Melton Bowen were the guys Briggs got the shot by beating.

 

For arguments sake though, let's say he does decide to take this 11-0 guy after HBO gives him a nice bonus and maybe his team thinks it winnable.

 

George stops green Vitali in 6, and it's not even close.

Prime Vitali would have knocked the crap out of him.

 

The man who refused to fight Tony Tucker would also refuse to fight Vitali Klitschko.

 

Valdes was coming off a decision L to Schulz who was perpetually "in the picture" during the Foreman years. They aren't wins to really write home about but the point is Foreman didn't fight a dude coming off a loss. Briggs rebounded and had put together a streak.

 

I think it would be a great victory for Vitalij. Too fast, too many punches, too unpredictable, but very strong and in good shape. Everything points to Klitschko

 

An extremely old George during the commentary of the fight said if Vitali beats Lennox he would jump at the chance to come back out of retirement to fight Vitali so I don't think he'd turn down a neophyte one.

Original question:
I think the Foreman that fought Briggs was finished but I admittedly don't know what Vitali looked like at only 11 fights. I can't imagine he's beating a 70 fight professional.................even an older one

 

Vitali was a high level am. He would’ve beaten Foreman in his pro debut.

No offense, but I suggest signing over your power of attorney if you actually think Foreman would’ve tried to make a fight with Vitali if he’d beaten Lewis.

 

Just for fun:

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...eback-at-55-to-fight-vitali-klitschko.694458/

 

Can you name one high level amateur that has actually beaten a 70 fight pro in their debut? Not even a former champion, just any time that this actually ever happened........

As for Foreman attempting to fight Vitali had he won, I'm going by what he said, as in what came out his mouth. Whether I believe it or not isn't relevant...........it's what was said.

 

Go ahead and name a guy who was almost 50 but still beat a guy who took a medal at the IBA world am championship.