Shannon Briggs, the heavyweight boxer known as "The Cannon," has named Lennox Lewis as the hardest puncher he faced in his career. Briggs shared this insight during a recent interview with Ring Magazine, reflecting on his experiences with notable heavyweight boxers.
Briggs, who racked up an impressive 53 knockout wins in his career, was only stopped twice. He faced some of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing, including George Foreman and Lennox Lewis.
In 1997, Briggs secured a controversial win against George Foreman in a 12-round points decision. Most observers felt Foreman deserved the victory, but the result paved the way for Briggs to challenge Lennox Lewis for the WBC World Title in 1998.
The Lewis fight was a slugfest from the start. Both fighters exchanged heavy hits, with Lewis showing grit to survive Briggs' first-round onslaught. Despite Briggs remaining a power threat throughout, multiple knockdowns and exhaustion led to his defeat in the fifth round.
When asked about the hardest puncher he faced, Briggs didn't hesitate:
"I would say Lennox Lewis – that right hand would kill anybody."
Briggs also mentioned other hard hitters he encountered in the ring. He described Ibragimov as a "little guy but hit pretty hard," Botha as a "very hard puncher," and Ray Mercer as someone who "hit hard." About Vitali Klitschko, Briggs recalled:
"He hit me one time so hard I didn't know where I was at."
Interestingly, Briggs had high praise for George Foreman, despite not ranking him as the hardest puncher. He commended "Big George" for having the best jab and footwork among his opponents. In other interviews, Briggs has praised Foreman's thudding shots.
Briggs considers Lewis "one of the greatest ever," a sentiment shared by Foreman himself. The fight against Briggs turned out to be Foreman's last, as he retired after their bout.
Throughout his career, Briggs proved himself as a formidable puncher and a tough opponent. His assessment of Lewis as the hardest hitter he faced adds another layer to the legacy of one of boxing's most respected heavyweight champions.
