Let me start out by saying that I'm a bigger fan of Briggs then Klitchsko so I may be a little bias towards Shannon. So I saw Shannon spar 2 different big men about a week ago, one his size and another about Vitali's height or taller. Shannon went 7 rounds with good work rate. He looked explosive and he threw bodyshots that would make onlookers cringe. Good speed, good concentration and he mixed it up very well. I think this is a fight that will be worth any boxing fans time to watch and I really think its going to be a exciting fight.
I think Briggs is a far more dangerous opponent than most people here are giving credit. I haven't felt as nervous about a Klitschko fight since Vitali fought Peter
Briggs looks dangerous and is well known which is why people like you feel he's under estimated. But go back to his resume and see weather he has done anything to earn him a higher status than being a long shot in this fight. What top competitor has he beaten in his entire career, never mind recently?
Being a HUGE and long standing fan of the klitschkos i may be a little bias too. But i am also a bit nervous like i was before the peter fight. I just hope big vitali doesn't hang around the boxing scene for too long. ala rjj
If Briggs has truly improved his conditioning (and it sounds like this is the case, considering his lower weight and your report) than his chances of landing that one lucky shot improve. However, Briggs is still a relatively low skilled fighter who has been deteriorating for at least a decade now (he says because of asthma and age, I say its because he spends too much time lifting weights and doing god knows what else) and will be outclassed in this fight.
Briggs was being beaten by Liakhovitch for 12 round (til the big shot), and Ibragimov clearly outboxed and beat him. Being on another level, entirely, Vitali would walk right through Liakhovitch and Ibragimov in the same night. :good At 6 foot 8, Vitali knows how to use the entire ring and his size advantage to keep his opponent where he wants him......which is on the receiving end of punishment.......... Vitali has a reflex adavantage and skill advantage over Briggs, not to mention KO power of his own...........Vitali also uses, to great effect, a hard to see coming lead left hook, as well as a straight right down the middle from hell, after his long, inpenetrable jabs softens you up, then the hammer falls...............not to mention that his chin is solid and he's never been knocked down, yet. Vitali is always lean and not far from fighting weight, even between fights. Much less draining and aging on a fighter than someone like Briggs who's body is as big as a polar bear, at times. The only variable will be if Briggs falls, or if the ref has to stop it.
He is fueled by the hatred Vitali has shown his people. "Asthmatics shouldn't be allowed to breed. We are superior to the wheezers. Wheezers shouldn't be breeders. Sterilize."
Are you addressing me? If so, go back to my post. I only gave Briggs a puncher's chance, which is reasonable. Based on his resume, I don't rate Briggs highly at all. By any objective standard, guys like Rahman and even McCline should rank higher. Frankly, I don't even know why Vitali is fighting him, especially after coming off a fight with Sosnowski. Wait I do know....but this has nothing to do with Briggs' merit. Actually, this is a very clever pick for Vitali, from an advertising stand point. You will not find an active HW boxer who's not a top competitor and yet he's so well known and popular (Holyfield and possibly Toney being the exceptions, but they are already exposed as being way past it).
And how did that turn out? You have nothing to worry about. Easy fight for vitaly. Briggs will lose every round and then cave around the middle mark. Write that prediction down, and get back to me after the fight. OK?