Shannon Briggs, the former heavyweight champion, has named Lennox Lewis as the hardest puncher he faced in his career. Briggs shared this insight in a recent interview with Ring Magazine, picking Lewis over other powerful heavyweights like George Foreman.
Briggs, a Brooklyn native known as "The Cannon," made a name for himself with his aggressive style and knockout power. He racked up an impressive 88% knockout-to-win ratio during his career, which included notable victories over Ray Mercer and a controversial win against George Foreman.
The Foreman fight, which took place when "Big George" was 47, ended in a majority decision for Briggs. Many boxing fans and experts thought Foreman should have gotten the nod, as he played the role of aggressor and landed clean shots throughout the bout.
Despite facing the legendary Foreman, Briggs singled out Lennox Lewis as the hardest hitter he encountered. In the Ring Magazine interview, Briggs stated:
"I would say Lennox Lewis – that right hand would kill anybody."
Briggs faced Lewis shortly after his victory over Foreman. Although Briggs put up a good fight in the early rounds, Lewis stopped him in the fifth. Lewis went on to fight ten more times, securing wins over big names like Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko.
When discussing other hard punchers he faced, Briggs mentioned several fighters:
"Sultan Ibragimov was a little guy but hit pretty hard, he could knock any man out. Francois Botha was a very hard puncher. Ray Mercer hit hard. Vitali Klitschko hit me one time so hard I didn't know where I was at. [laughs]"
Briggs' career was marked by his own punching power, but also by his struggles with asthma and endurance issues. Despite these challenges, he remained a watchable and aggressive fighter throughout his time in the ring.
Lewis's power, as described by Briggs, adds to the British-Canadian boxer's legacy. With only two losses in his career (one of which he avenged against Hasim Rahman), Lewis established himself as one of the greatest heavyweights of his era.
For a fighter like Briggs, who faced numerous hard-hitting opponents, to single out Lewis speaks volumes about the impact of Lewis's punches. It's a testament to Lewis's skill and power that he left such a lasting impression on a boxer known for his own knockout ability.
