If Foreman Had Gotten The Decision Over Briggs?

But Briggs was no joke himself and was on a 8 fight KO streak. Yeah he might have got knocked out earlier in his career by Darrol Wilson and had that one loss but Lewis also already got knocked out by Oliver McCall and would have that loss going into a fight with Foreman. Lewis was still rebuilding from that loss and I don't see why Foreman would turn down a dump truck of money for a chance to crack his seemingly shaky chin again in Atlantic City. And damn it maybe he could.

 

Don't forget, Briggs spent the whole fight, I don't want to say running, but backtracking away from Foreman which was not his usual approach at all. That power was still very real and a hasty gunslinger like Briggs wanted absolutely no parts of it.

 

The difference is that Briggs beat some cab drivers after Wilson and Lewis beat contenders before and after losing to McCall.

 

Yes but it would have required but one heavy blow from Foreman for Golota to lose his head and foul out or retire. Golota may have been winning on points at the time, but it wouldn’t matter. Foreman by KO or disqualification.

The Bowe fights ruined Bowe but Golota never was the same again either. What fighter with a punch did Golota beat after that? He didn’t beat Bowe either.

 

True but in that time frame Lewis still went life and death with Ray Mercer and got somewhat lucky that McCall had that psychological breakdown and looked not that great against Zeljko Mavrovic. Those weren't all great wins either. I think 98 Foreman was at least as good as Mavrovic and Mercer as he never really showed any signs of slipping bossing Briggs around in November 97. And he could still punch.

 

Ah ok.

 

This isn’t how things were. The division belonged to Lewis and Holyfield after Lewis destroyed Golota. I doubt Foreman would’ve taken the fight. And he’d get dropped if he did.

 

Foreman got robbed big time against Briggs, and I think had he won he would've fought Golota and who knows, maybe he could've won that fight. Either that or Golota would've retired Big George. That would have been a good fight though as Foreman was still capable in the ring at that time.

 

What you're describing is called hype. Lewis looked great against Golota yeah but not that great barely scrapping by Mercer and sub par against Mavrovic in 98, which is the version of Lewis that Foreman probably gets. That Lewis, yeah, I could definitely see Foreman pulling it off somehow or at least doing what Mercer did.

 

Foreman was Savarese level at that point.

 

And better than Briggs. Lewis looked great in blow outs but when he couldn't do that he might look very ordinary. Foreman still showed that he had a chin, power, and perplexingly, good stamina. I don't see Lewis getting a guy like that out of there in 2 rounds or whatever. I see that as a fight where he would have to grind away. Yeah he deserves to go in as the favorite, but those weren't the kind of fights Lewis liked to be in. I see Foreman putting in a scrappy performance, and possibly cracking that chin at some point.

 

Briggs was better for Lewis than Foreman and Foreman likely would’ve slipped further.

 

Foreman fought Briggs in November 97 and Lewis fought Mavrovic in September 98 so lets say Foreman fights Lewis some time around summer 98. Not a short turn around not long time out of the ring. Lewis just doesn't look that good against Mavrovic. If Mavrovic can eat all of those punches then so could Foreman. If Mavrovic can go the distance then so could Foreman. And If Mavrovic can tag and hurt Lewis, then certainly, so could Foreman. Thats not as unwinnable of a fight as I think you're letting on. And Lewis didn't have the best chin.

 

It’s as if you’re deliberately avoiding that Lewis beat the crap of Briggs whereas Foreman lost and trying to reduce a prime ATG down to only being slightly better than a fringe contender.

 

There was no really nothing to lose. If he looked awful everyone would chalk it up to age if he did good and lost he looked good and if he won its the perfect ending. And in all 3 scenarios he gets a payday. There was no reason for Foreman not to take it. The main reason I think he was going to fight Lennox was because I'm skeptical Foreman planned Shannon Briggs as his last fight. Briggs turned out to be a 2xchampion but I think Foreman envisoned Briggs as a tuneup for Lennox. A real test but one whose main purpose was to prepare him for Lennox.

If its your last fight anyway whats the purpose of ducking? Ducking has a motive usually. What is the reason Foreman would want to avoid Lennox?