26.11.05 – By Troy Ondrizek: Bam bam, is exactly what Shannon Briggs did to Brian “Bam Bam” Scott in a first round KO of the journeyman tonight in Arkansas. Jameel McCline needed the same amount of time to dispose of his lowly fighter Andy Sample. The “Sandman” Sample continues to be put to sleep by fighters trying to pad their records. Cisse Salif who recently lost to David Tua needed twenty-nine seconds to gain victory in his bout. Young prospect J.D. Chapman, took even longer then our previous combatants to dominate John Carlo in two rounds. Most of the fights tonight were one-sided affairs, seemingly put together to boost the records of the more notable names on the card.
Shannon Briggs has now won his last eight contests, none of which went the distance. In fact the last time a Briggs’ bout went the distance was nine fights ago against Jameel McCline. McCline outworked Briggs for ten rounds to receive an impressive unanimous decision. In fact the fight against McCline was Briggs’ last against an opponent of any ability or danger. He has feasted on tomato for three years since that loss. It was that fight with Briggs, coupled with earlier victories against Michael Grant and a young Lance Whitaker that propelled McCline to a title fight with Wladimir Klitschko. He lost that fight only to get another chance and fall short to Chris Byrd. Since the fight with Byrd, McCline has struggled losing to top contender Calvin Brock and journeyman Zuri Lawrence.
Now I am a fan of Shannon Briggs, which consequently makes me a very lonely man in the boxing world. I too am inclined to root for Jameel McCline to possibly stay away from being a proverbial “gate-keeper.” I as a fan am tired of watching Briggs fight no names to pad his record, and I am tired of wondering which McCline is going to show up to a bout. Briggs turns thirty-four in a couple of weeks, and McCline is thirty-five at this moment. Both of these fighters need a key victory to really give them a shot at any title. I propose that these two men fight each other next. It would be good for the fighters and good for the division. The fight can be set-up in a short amount of time, since both fighters are still fresh after not going past the first round in either of their bouts.
With a victory Briggs would be given a chance to avenge his earlier loss to McCline, and in the same fight propel him into a fight with a contender and set himself up for a title shot. If McCline came out on top, he would do the same to his career and set himself for a couple more lucrative fights and a possible chance at a title if he scores another upset against a contender. These scenarios would be beneficial for both fighters. Now this fight would be good for boxing because it would rid boxing of one of these fighters from ever challenging for a title again. Meaning basically the loser should retire, making way for fighters like maybe J.D. Chapman to stake a claim at being a fringe contender.