It was one of the most controversial decisions of the 1990s: Shannon Briggs W12 George Foreman. And Briggs, who said after the fight that he genuinely thought lovable, old George was “trying to kill me,” became the lineal heavyweight king thanks to the combined efforts of his ring performance and the work the three judges sat at ringside did that night of November 22, 1997. Briggs scored the biggest win of his career, while Foreman, who was royally ripped off that night, never fought again.
Walking marvel Foreman, the 1997 version, was a slow but steady, constantly advancing juggernaut armed with a punishing left jab, a club of a right hand behind it, a rock for a chin, and seemingly limitless stamina. Foreman was all-business when he fought, this while continuing to trumpet his “the age of 40 nor 50 is no death sentence,” rallying cry.
Why Foreman Looked Like the Clear Winner
But Foreman was so relaxed in the ring, comfortable; his second incarnation a vastly different entity to the brooding Foreman of the 1970s, who was running on empty after a few rounds on the occasion when a fight of his actually lasted that long. And in his final fight against Briggs, Foreman was again steady as a rock and seemingly the winner after 12 rounds that saw the much younger fighter look gassed as well as beaten up, facially in particular.
But, to the shock of absolutely everyone, perhaps Briggs included, Foreman was judged the loser by two of the three wise men sat at ringside (the third judge having it level). Briggs had taken Foreman’s lineal heavyweight title (along with his lightly regarded WBU belt), and the New Yorker would have the distinction of being the very last man to get punched in the face by one of the greatest heavyweights in history.
The Aftermath That Still Sparks Arguments
Soon after the decision – 117-113, 116-112, 114-114 – the appeals were launched, the investigations began. The decision was deemed so bad by Foreman’s current promoters, Jeff Wald and Irving Azoff, that an official appeal was launched, this with the intention of having the decision overturned. What’s more, Wald and Azoff were reportedly set to hire a private detective to snoop into the background of the three judges!
In any case, the decision stood. Forman retired with grace, and Briggs went on to give Lennox Lewis a hell of an exciting-while-it-lasted slugfest. There was some talk of a possible Foreman-Briggs II (because the winner’s name goes first), while George was also, so we have read over the years, tempted to come back one more time for a fight with David Tua. And a Foreman-Larry Holmes fight was actually announced in late 1999, only for the financing to fall through, leaving us to forever wonder which of these 1970’s and beyond heavyweight legends would have triumphed over the other.
It’s a cliché, for sure, but the world will never again see as remarkable a fighter as George Foreman; who sadly passed away in March of this year. Whether it’s the fighter we saw in his first career, when Foreman was all raw, savage power, immense physical strength, and a desire to land very real hurt on each man he faced in the ring. Or the fighting man we saw in Foreman’s second ring career, when he was clubbing power, a deep well of stamina, immense physical strength, and acute ring smarts. Foreman and his thick book of achievements will never be eclipsed.
