Briggs Stops Liakhovich in Final Round
Sunday November 5, 2006
For eleven rounds, Sergei Liakhovich and Shannon Briggs staged perhaps the worst fight in heavyweight championship history (if you consider the WBO a title belt). Neither fighter did much of anything ... literally. Few punches were thrown in each round and neither man seemed particularly interested in winning the fight.
Finally, in the twelfth round, Briggs decided to throw a few punches and that was enough to knock Liakhovich down twice -- the second time through the ropes and onto a ringside table. Referee Bobby Ferrara immediately waved off the fight at the 2:59 mark.
Entering the final round, Liakhovich only needed to last another three minutes to retain his title as he was leading 106-103, 106-103 and 105-104. With the win, Briggs gives the U.S. a heavyweight champ -- breaking the brief stranglehold that fighters from the former Soviet Union had held on the four major titles.
Congratulations to Briggs ... but if you ever have a chance to watch this fight -- DON'T!
Comments
Can’t wait to see this bum defend his title. Against a fighter that is interested in fighting, Briggs would fall over from fatigue after 3 or 4 rounds.
His conditioning was absolutely pitiful, he was tired after the very first round. Looked like he spent more time on his silly hairdo than he did on roadwork. What a sorry excuse for a professional “athlete”.
Come on now. Where are all the true boxing fans? Did you watch this fight only once and listen to the lame broadcasters to write your column? Watch it again and rethink your sorry excuse of a writeup on this fight. After watching this fight several times on TIVO with a neutral opinion of the fighers, this is how I, a true boxing fan saw it.. Round one, Briggs showed his power and hurt and scared Liakhovich. Over the next 10 rounds Briggs hammered him with very hard jabs that wore down Liakhovich. In round 12 Briggs opened up his offense and accomplished a couple things.. He won the WBO Championship, and he proved everyone wrong that said he could not go 12 rounds and still win. Liakhovich could not handle Briggs’s power. It was a STRATEGY and was performed like artwork to a tee. Shannon Briggs outsmarted his opponent that could not handle his power. Yes Briggs could have easily won this fight earlier in the fight with a knockout, but I think he wanted to prove a point and followed his gameplan out. Why cannot people see the beauty in a fight won with a strategy? Good fight, not great, Great gameplan that worked and brought the title to Briggs. By trying to prove a point (that he could go 12 rounds and still win) Briggs almost cost himself the championship of the world though! Way to Go SHANNON! Thanks for bringing home a title to the USA!
Rediculous fight. If either had a strategy it was, “please let me stand up at the final bell”. Both were pitifull. Now Briggs is calling out the heavyweight division. Great, another one. I agree that we need to unify. The problem is tat Briggs is just cashing his chips on one payday with Klitschko if he can. If he has to defend against one of the other champions, as he should, he’ll choose not to do it. Bet.
i liked the fight , a little slow. iv seen briggs alot better in his last couple of fight be4 this 1.Briggs should of ended it in the first round. James Tony would make thses guys look silly.
TONY 4 CHAMP
Congrats to my man Shannon. It seems to be some haters out there. This is the deal….the mean is a chronic asthma sufferer. There is so much training can do. Asthma sufferers will tell you that when it hits…..it hits. Nonetheless, point well taken. If he is going to be the big dog, he better work on big conditioning.
what can be said…..we have truly grown accustomed to the greatness that is now a mockery…..TYSON…..we want our big guys to…well you know “HULK SMASH PUNY HUMANS”….and instead we get 6 foot 5-7 sissies….please…shannon has no excuse not to dominate this sad divison of heavies….oh and he better stay away from toney…can you spell K.O.(oh i just did, anyways)…lets be truthful he hits harder than sanders or what was the name of the guy who held the belt that ko’d him….will just the same…we need someone that is hungry for immortality as a boxing warrior rather than a hey i’ve had 10 fights i want 10 million fighters….i hope briggs represents if not …..as the gentleman before me said “WHAT A WASTE OF TALENT”