Boxing, we love you. Why do you hate us?
Shannon Briggs and Fres Oquendo are fighting June 3rd for one of those WBA belts that they try to pass off as world titles. The WBA sanctioned Joshua/Klitschko for their world title, but the WBA likes to name lesser champions to extort sanctioning fees instead of number one contenders. Great, whatever, until they order Shannon Briggs and Fres Oquendo in 2017. Shannon Briggs is 45, Fres Oquendo is 44. It is true that age is only a number though. Look at the great performance Wladimir Klitschko put on last weekend at 41. Bernard Hopkins success beyond that number is well documented too.
If we try to look past age, what have these two potential mandated Anthony Joshua challengers been up to? Let’s start with Shannon Briggs. The last time Briggs was in against a top opponent was against Vitaly Klitschko in a 2010 shutout loss. Briggs was absolutely battered in that bout, but he made it to the end in a fight that probably should have been stopped along the way. The last time Shannon Briggs beat a top heavyweight was a decade ago in 2007 when he stopped Sergei Liahkovich in the final seconds of a fight Briggs was clearly losing before the miracle finish.
Prior to that the last top heavyweight Briggs beat was… was… Wow. Briggs has his official win over an old Foreman, but that was as clear of a robbery as they come. He didn’t win that fight. That makes Briggs second biggest career win a stoppage of the 2005, well past his prime Ray Mercer. Third? There isn’t one. After Liakhovich and Mercer, you’re looking at names like Abraham Okine, Chris Koval, Michael Marrone, etc. There was never a moment in time when Shannon Briggs was a top heavyweight worthy of a title shot, never.
Fres Oquendo will not have even fought for just shy of three years when this fight happens in June. His last bout, a 2014 majority decision loss to Ruslan Chagaev, had some legal fallout that mandate Oquendo be let back into the mix by the WBA. That is why at least half of this fight is happening. Oquendo is actually a little interesting to talk about because he has an argument for being defeated since 2006 when he lost to a 44 year old Evander Holyfield. He lost coin flip decisions to Chagaev in 2014 and in 2010 was flatly robbed twice against Jean Marc Mormeck and Oliver McCall. Yes, that Oliver McCall in 2010. He was arguably robbed against James Toney in 2008 too, but that was closer at least.
For the sake of giving him the benefit of the doubt, let’s say he wins all three of those that he definitely should have won and leave the Chagaev fight the way it went because it wasn’t an unfair decision. That would make him 14-1 since 2006. That sounds great until you actually look for good wins in there. Mormeck was a really good cruiserweight, but failed completely up at heavyweight. Toney had only won one of his last five coming into his bout with Oquendo. Yet, that should be Oquendo’s career best win. There is nothing else.
Here we are with two fringe contenders from the previous, much worse era of heavyweights in their mid 40s without any relevant wins matching up in a fight that could very well determine a future mandatory for Anthony Joshua. Goddamnit, boxing.
