Heavyweight Dreamer

Shannon Briggs won the title from 48 year old George Foreman in November 1997 with a unanimous points decision. In doing so he became one of the least known and least regarded World Heavyweight Champions ever. Only Marvin Hart has a lower profile than Shannon Briggs. Briggs' World Title win was devalued in the public's eyes by the fact that Foreman had been stripped of the Alphabet Titles (WBC, WBA, IBF) for refusing to kowtow to their demands that he fight their favoured contenders.

The main Alphabet Bodies(WBA & WBC) have been effectively under the control of US Promoter Don King for the best part of the last twenty five years. Their motivation in stripping Foreman of their version of the Heavyweight title was to make space for King's top fighter Mike Tyson, who was released from prison in 1995. Tyson certainly wanted no part of a fight with Foreman, a man who despite his age was lethal against short heavyweights like Tyson. With Foreman sidelined by King's machinations it was therefore no surprise that by mid 1996 Tyson had won both titles.

Foreman meanwhile did himself no favours by refusing to agree to a rematch with the IBF main contender Axel Shultz in Germany following their close fight in April 1995. The end result was that Foreman did not defend the World Title again until November 1996 against Crawford Grimsley. After beating Grimsley and Lou Savarese in April 1997, Foreman viewed Briggs as another easyish payday.

Unfortunately for George, Shannon proved a little to young and quick for him and ground out a points decision. Foreman hasn't fought since. Beating Foreman made Shannon the World Heavyweight Champion but unfortunately the media wasn't interested. Evander Holyfield had completed a remarkable resurgence by beating Mike Tyson and Michael Moorer to become the WBA and IBF Champion and Lennox Lewis had won back the WBC title. Compared to these guys Shannon Briggs was a nobody. He wasn't a top contender before he fought Foreman. His career to that point was based on a stream of KO wins against the heavyweight division's bottom feeders, the journeymen. Before facing George, Shannon had never fought anyone rated as a top 10 contender. No surprise therefore that he didn't receive much acclaim as champion.

To Shannon's credit he chose to make his first title defence in March 1998 against Lennox Lewis the man that Holyfield, Bowe and Tyson had all managed to avoid over the previous six years. A courageous decison which resulted in his reign as World Champ being one of the shortest on record, just over four months. When they entered the ring it looked like an even match up, Briggs at 6'4" and 228lbs was about the same size as Lewis. Unfortunately when the bell rang Lewis' edge in experience, boxing skills and power proved too great for Shannon. Briggs was down three times before the fight was stopped in the fifth. Lewis now the World Champ and the WBC Champ went on to dominate the division for a further five years.

Shannon Briggs has never reached the same heights again. Since losing to Lewis he has fought sixteen times winning 13 losing 2 with one drawn. He has only faced three more 'name' opponents Francois Botha, Jameel McCline and Ray Mercer. He drew with Botha, lost to McCline and in his most recent fight in August 2005 stopped a 44 year old Mercer. He also lost to someone called Sedreck Fields in April 2000, very much a journeyman.

What are we to make of Shannon Briggs a man who was briefly World heavyweight Champion but has never beaten a ranked heavyweight aged under 44. I would have to say that Shannon is the worst heavyweight champion ever, I doubt very much whether he could have even troubled Primo Carnera or Leon Spinks. Despite his shortcomings as a fighter Shannon has had a reasonably successful career in the media as a TV analyst, occasional actor and as a recording artist. He is an articulate, well presented man almost the antithesis of his Brownsville compatriot Mike Tyson. Brownsville must have been some place in the late sixties and early seventies to have bred three World Heavyweight champions: Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Shannon Briggs.

Long term Shannon's name will certainly survive in history as the answer to a number of boxing trivia questions:

- Shortest Reigning Champ
- Man who retired George Foreman
- Third Champ from Brownsville.