Is it a blessing in disguise that Briggs got the decision over Foreman?

Part of the benefit of fighting at that age is no one holding losses against you. Fighting someone the same age removes that protection and a fight between Foreman and Holmes would very much have been a referendum on who would have won in their prime.

 

Foreman really shouldn't have been fighting at the time, and Briggs should've learned how to fight.
Foreman should've dropped the title to Schulz, who he was easily outworked against (And also was owed the nod Vs Botha).
Briggs had no reason to get outworked against a nigh fossilized Foreman, and yet he did, and still got the win for no reason.
I personally think that Briggs was almost as big of a hype job as Grant, even if I enjoy his later antics with the Klitschkos (Other than his beatdown at the hands of big brother Vitali).

 

The quality of Foremans' 3 ' title defenses ' was awful in truth.
Nobody else would've got away with it, but with deference to his age everyone laughed along with it at the time , whilst also buying one of his grill machines .
The guy sold a business for a reported 120 m $$$ , Kudos to him.
After all the bad ends in boxing , George bucked the trend.

 

It could well have been a blessing in disguise, but there's just as much likelihood that Foreman would have retired anyway.

In any event, Foreman, by then, was picking and choosing who he fought and, despite the money, I doubt he'd have faced Lewis at that age.

 

I remember reading in this forum that this controversial decision was a case of corruption. According to poster Ducclechin :

 

I suppose it stopped Foreman from retiring and taking the lineal title with him.

 

At least Grant look good when he won pre Lewis. I can't really recall a hype train for Briggs to be honest. I think it may of been worse for Briggs even if there was some hype after his "Win" over Foreman.

 

I still think it would have been interesting to see Foreman in there with either Bowe or Tyson. Stylistically, they would have been entertaining fights, and Foreman would have had a chance because neither of those guys moved and would have been right there for him to hit them. He would have gotten hit too, of course, but fun fights nevertheless. The only guys who beat Foreman or gave him problems in his comeback were guys who hit and moved. Which is why Lewis would have been a bad matchup for Foreman, and he knew it. Height, reach, speed, power, and he knew how to move enough to make George miss. But Foreman would have nailed Bowe and Tyson really well.

 

I can’t see him being favourite to beat either but yes, it would have been interesting. Bowe, extremely negligent in his defense, avoided big punchers, & was knocked flat on his ass by a single left hook from Holyfield - but also showed tremendous rallying ability under heavy fire from Golota (especially in their second fight). Tyson was himself a little past it by the early 90’s, but much fresher than Foreman, & could still hit like a truck. I suspect on at least some level, Foreman intimidated him, but I’d still pick Tyson to level him.

 

Yes because Foreman has said countless, countless times that there was no way he wanted any part of Lennox Lewis. Lennox was able to become lineal champion, then collect all the belts which legitimized his reign.

Something else funny is that George said if Vitali beat Lennox he would want to fight him, but was asked I think by Lampley if Lennox gutted it out and won would he fight Lennox, and George said "no way"

 

When Foreman of all people says he wants to fight you, it speaks to how incredibly ordinary you are as a fighter. I’m glad Big George sees the elder Klitschko for the lousy Boxer he is, because few seem to these days.

 

For him - yes, Shulz clearly beat him. But not for Shulz sadly who got robbed once again against Botha. Ironically, Botha got robbed himself against a Briggs too, Shannon didn't deserve that draw.

 

Holmes, however, always expressed the desire to fight Lennox, even when he was ancient 47-48 years old

 

Holmes' level of hubris still amazes me to this day