Around the Net: Vitali Klitschko vs Shannon Briggs Edition

If you're craving a competitive heavyweight match-up, it's very unlikely that today's offering between Vitali Klitschko and Shanon Briggs will be too satisfying.  Klitschko didn't look great last time out, and a younger quicker opponent could topple the big guy sometime soon... but Briggs isn't that guy.  The Brooklyn fighter brings size and power to the table, but rarely lets his hands go and has shown little in the past decade to suggest he's capable of pulling off what would be a stunning upset.

Let's take a look around the net at some of the pre-fight buzz for today's heavyweight match-up...

Bad Left Hook Quick Picks: Bute-Brinkley, Klitschko-Briggs, Tarver-Aguilera

Briggs is tentative to the point that he sometimes only barely resembles a boxer. He'll shoot that big right hand -- and it is still a big right hand -- but he doesn't do a lot to set it up. That'll work against the likes of Rob Calloway, Dominique Alexander, and Rafael Pedro, but this is Vitali Klitschko. Expect no fireworks, a lot of Vitali jabs, and an overmatched-looking Briggs. It's worth noting that Briggs hasn't been stopped since 1998 (Lennox Lewis), and that run could end here, though it seems like it might be more likely a corner stoppage than a beatdown. Klitschko RTD-9

Safe Side of the Ropes - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Who Has The Easiest Weekend In Prospect -Vitali Klitschko, Lucian Bute Or Adrian Diaconu?

Klitschko, the man with the finest knockout ratio in world class boxing is the fresher of the two old campaigners, sixteen fights adrift from Briggs’ career ledger. He’ll look to evade Shannon’s’ punches by swaying his head high up in the air and away out of range in that ungainly manner of his before slamming home left jabs and heavy overhand rights.

Briggs, meanwhile, will be full of confidence in his hitting ability after sparking out a series of overmatched schlubs in the past twelve months (originally four, with one later changed to a no contest after Briggs flunked a drugs test). Despite the poor quality of opposition, there’s nothing like four opening round wipe outs to hypnotise a fighter into thinking they’re suddenly Sonny Liston redux. I give Briggs one chance to upset the applecart. He needs to land his left hook, a punch which almost toppled Vitali many moons ago in L.A after Corrie Sanders slammed a pearler clean into his mush.

The Queensbury Rules - Previews And Predictions For Vitali Klitschko Vs. Shannon Briggs And Lucian Bute Vs. Jesse Brinkley

But unlike for an adventure flick protagonist who has enough guile and daring to try something foolish, that long-shot hope against Klitschko is out of Briggs’ control. It's all up to whether Klitschko is well on his way down athletically. Mainly, he’s a guy notorious for exhibiting flashes of power and that’s all. Klitschko has his own power – 38 knockouts in 40 wins – and Briggs has been knocked out before, and has lost to far worse fighters than Klitschko, and he’s 38 his damn self. To me, the main question is whether Briggs survives to the final bell. I say he doesn’t. If he was more mobile, maybe. Instead, I expect a prototypical Klitschkoian chopping-down job, with somebody stopping the fight in the 10th.

The Sweet Science - Going The Distance, Down The Sinful Mile

Briggs may still have one punch KO power, but against Klitschko he has to land that big punch clean for it to matter.

Big punch or not, the faded Briggs isn't as formidable as Klitschko's other foes during this recent run. Unless the sometimes wacky Briggs can make something crazy occur, count on seeing belted big boy business as usual while Klitschko hammers out a monotonous victory.

The most intrigue will probably involve whether or not Klitschko can join Lennox Lewis (TKO 5 in 1998) and Darroll Wilson (TKO 3 in '96) as the only men to knock the talkative, tank-like Briggs out.

Statistically, Klitschko should scuff and lump Briggs up enough to notch another TKO around the 9th or 10th round. Stats can lie more than dance hall girls.

ESPN - At 39,Vitali Klitschko feels better than ever

Even if his retirement cost him his place atop the heavyweight rankings, it was worth it for Klitschko. He said the time off allowed him to heal all of his various ailments and that even at age 39, he feels as good as he ever has.

Based on his performances since returning, he sure looks like he is being honest about that.

"I've been amazed by how well I have been since coming back. I am very happy," he said. "The line of injuries in the past, they are behind me. I feel great. I have pretty young sparring partners, 25, 30 years old. They have a really hard time. I am very close to 40, but I am in great, great shape. I can't explain it. I can tell you I feel my best."

Boxing FanHouse - Shannon Briggs on Vitali Klitschko: 'All it Takes is One Punch'

What do you bring into a fight with Vitali Klitschko that none of his knockout victims did?

The main two things that I have are knockout power and experience. Those are two key factors. Also, look at the size of both of us. You look at the guys that he has fought. Chris Arreola, he's a tough kid. But he's not physically-gifted enough to do more than one thing, which was just to stand front of him and be a human punching bag.

Sam Peter, same thing. Kevin Johnson was a talented kid. Great left hand. You look at his record, he had very few knockouts and no experience. He wasn't a puncher. Andre Sosnowski? No disrespect to him, but how did he get a title shot? With that being said, look at the caliber of fighters Vitali has fought during his comeback.

I feel like I'm the best fighter in the world, and that my body is a weapon right now. I feel amazing. I'm speaking from the heart. I feel like my body is a human weapon.

ESPN New York - Brooklyn's Shannon Briggs is ready to take a crack at Vitali Klitschko

Briggs says he's especially amped to wallop Klitschko for this comment to BoxingScene.com: "In addition to Briggs, I know many boxers who -- in spite of asthma -- became world champions," Vitali said. "This is not a deadly disease. Look at his fights and you will understand that asthma -- it's just a good excuse."

Briggs said he has Googled his tail off, and "I can't find one other [asthmatic] world champion. When he says it's not a deadly disease, I took offense. It made me emotional. I've been a sufferer all my life. I've gotten hundreds of e-mails and posts on my website and on Facebook, some from people who say, 'My son died from asthma,' 'My mom died from it.' In 2009, 300 million people were affected by asthma, and it caused 250,000 deaths."