Shannon Briggs - The Champion

If it was, “nothing without a physical manifestation,” we wouldn’t be having this conversation more than a quarter of a century down the line.

 

Most sports require the top guy to prove themselves against the best if they want to stay on top on a regular basis. No reason a champion shouldn't lose recognition as champ if they refuse to face top competition over an extended period.

 

Are you talking about Briggs here?

 

Well the irony of it all is that this is one of the things that makes boxing and combat sports beautiful…. Guys who aren’t the best can reach the top of the sport when the stars align..

 

It’s more of a tangent because Moorer and Foreman weren’t the best either. It only really matters to a subset of boxing nerds that Briggs held lineage. For the rest of the fans, Holyfield and Lewis were the guys and that’s why they fought a unification.

 

Briggs fought Lennox Lewis in his first title defense.

If you're talking about Georges opponents during Georges reign there was not a clear cut 2nd best champ and if there was one it was Moorer who Foreman had beaten. Lennox was upset by McCall and didn't reclaim his belt until the final months of Foremans reign. Holyfield was struggling before the Tyson fights and wasn't really someone Foreman had to rematch. Tyson lost to Holyfield, Bowe had the Golota fights. Its easy to critcize George for defending the title against easy opponents but looking at who was doing what at the time there was not a better champ he was avoiding the title picture was a mess.

A lineal champ losing recognition because of their SOS is a process that takes years. As Tyson Fury very clearly demonstrated. Theres less leeway with champs who fought for a vacant lineal belt like Vitali but even then it took years to replace him.

 

Foreman and Fury.

In other sports you have to consistently prove yourself to stay champ. If the warriors chose to sit out the 2019, 2020, and 2021 championships a new champion is crowned and the sport moves on. They don't stay champs by default if they don't compete

 

Sure it takes time but by the time Foreman faced Briggs the public no longer saw him as champ due to 3 years of ducking and refusing to fight anyone in the top 10. His abysmal competition was a big factor in losing recognition as champ by the general public.

Lewis and Holyfield were fighting far better competition than Foreman post Moorer

 

On paper only.

 

Bowe, Lewis, and Holyfield were better. And McCall beat a full strength Lewis if you want to go the paper route.