26 years ago

Date: 28th March 1998

Title: WBC World Heavyweight Title

Promoter: Main Events

Tv: HBO

Lennox Lewis
( 32 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 243 lbs

Shannon Briggs
( 30 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 228 lbs

On March 28, 1998, Lennox Lewis, the WBC and Lineal Heavyweight Champion, faced Shannon Briggs at the Boardwalk Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Lewis, weighing in at 243 lbs, was a heavy favourite with 12-1 odds against the 228-lb Briggs.

Briggs had recently defeated George Foreman in a controversial majority decision to win the Lineal World Heavyweight Championship. Despite many believing Foreman had won the bout, Briggs was named the winner and secured his shot at Lewis' WBC title.

Lewis controlled the action in the first round with his solid left jab, keeping Briggs off balance. However, with just 30 seconds left in the round, Briggs landed a short left hand that staggered Lewis. Briggs followed up with a furious assault, ending with a right hook that sent Lewis stumbling into the corner as the bell sounded.

Lewis regained his composure in the second and third rounds, using his jab to keep Briggs at bay and landing solid right hands on Briggs' jaw, which caused him to bleed from the mouth.

The fourth round saw Lewis dominate Briggs, sending him into the ropes with a combination and scoring a knockdown with a right hook. Briggs beat the count but was sent to the canvas again by a left hook and a three-punch combination. Briggs survived the round, but the end was near.

In the fifth round, Lewis continued his assault, knocking Briggs down for a third time with a powerful right hook. Briggs got up at the count of eight, but as he continued to take punishment, referee Frank Cappuccino stopped the fight at 1:45, giving Lewis the victory by TKO.

The fight was a financial success, with Lewis earning $4 million and Briggs $1 million. The event, which aired live on HBO, attracted a crowd of 9,173.

After the fight, Lewis praised Briggs' courage, saying, "He was a game fighter. That's because I made it personal. He was braver than I expected." Briggs, meanwhile, acknowledged Lewis' superior range and power, stating, "I hurt him a couple of times. I wasn't at my best. I wanted to use the whole ring and counter. His range was better than I expected."

The victory set the stage for Lewis to pursue a unification bout with Evander Holyfield. Still, first, he would have to make a mandatory defence against his number one contender, the undefeated Željko Mavrovi?.