Briggs probably can't KO him, and doesn't have the stamina to outbox him. Valuev was surprisingly disciplined, if unimaginative. Briggs loses a UD.
close fight.. briggs was much faster than the giant with ugly face so maybe shannon outspeed him and wins a decision
I think I would favour Briggs if you put a gun to my head. For all his faults, he was operating at a slightly higher level.
Valuev 117-111 (Loses first 3 rounds because Briggs had enough stamina to do something in the opening rounds)
Terrible matchup for Briggs. Valuev weathers an early storm and stops him when he gasses. It's pretty much what Valuev did for most of his career. He was an upgraded Willard.
Shannon could lose, as he's lost to worse fighters, but I'm surprised by how many people decided to side with Valuev in this. I think Shannon, at his best, had far more polish. He would start well, eventually eat a few rights, like he did against Botha, and just manage to get a decision. I rather like the Botha from that fight to turn the trick on Valuev as well. Briggs gave Lennox Lewis a good run for his money let's not forget, and didn't exactly pack it in when being beat up by Botha. Valuev rarely makes his fights contests of physicality, from what I can recall, which is how I see this tipping his way.
