Vitali Pounds Away At Briggs, Wins Ultra Unanimous Decision

He was in way over his head, a decade, at least, past his prime. But no one can say Shannon Briggs simply went to Hamburg to pick up a payday against Vitali Klitschko. No one can repeat now what was whispered by some coming into the WBC title defense on Saturday, that Briggs was there merely to lay down, and pick up some extra moolah to pad his retirement fund.

No, Briggs ate too many long rights on the chin, too many lance-like jabs on his noggin, for anyone to deride his character on this night. The ref or his corner couldve stopped the one-sided slaughter on several occasions, but chose not to. So the final bell tolled, and the judges rendered a most evident conclusion: that the 39-year-old Klitschko was the better man, unanimously, by scores of 120-107, 120-107, 120-105.

Weve likely seen the last of Briggs, who was working on at least his second last chance. Klitschkos right hand couldnt make the 38-year-old Briggs drop and stay down on the canvas, and as our pal Johnny Bos put forth on Thursday, it looks like his power is a notch or two less than it was before he went on hiatus in 2003.

Vitali rises to 41-2 with the win, and Briggs, who turns 39 on December 4, is 51-6.