Boxing: Foreman takes his final bow

Whether or not George Foreman stays retired remains to be seen, but the evidence of his loss to Shannon Briggs on Saturday evening suggests it is time the veteran former champion called it a day. Glyn Leach reports from Atlantic City.

Understandably, the announcement that George Foreman, the former two- time world heavyweight champion, has retired will meet with some scepticism. After all, he first called it a day 20 years ago, only to launch a remarkable comeback 10 years later that saw him, aged 45, become the oldest man ever to win the title. But, with his 49th birthday approaching, Foreman's time appears to have come.

On Saturday night in Atlantic City, Foreman lost an unpopular, some thought controversial, majority decision to the 25-year-old Shannon Briggs - one judge had it even, 114-114, but the other scores favoured Briggs by margins of 117-113 and 116-112.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, dark glasses only partially concealing the bruising around his eyes, Foreman brought down the curtain on a career that spanned four decades. "I planned, win, lose or draw, to bring my career to an end," he revealed. "I could have won, sure. Maybe I should have won. But the day of the whining athlete should come to an end. How in the world can a guy say he's been robbed when he walks away with $5m in his pocket? Let's give Shannon Briggs the credit he deserves. I think we have a good young fighter on our hands and I hope he goes on as long as I have."

Noble sentiments from a beaten man, but Foreman, by fighting for as long as he has at top level, is nothing short of a marvel. Briggs is ordinary, at best.

With question marks surrounding him following the only loss of his career in March last year, Briggs failed to convince as a fighter of genuine worth. But his hit-and-move tactics still beat the lumbering Foreman.

"Tonight, in the ninth round, I threw a shot at him and he ran away," Foreman said. "I thought: `This could go on for the rest of my life'. It's time for the young guys to chase the young guys. It's almost 31 years ago that I first started chasing."

There was no moment of religious enlightenment for Foreman, such as he experienced in his dressing-room following the loss to Jimmy Young in March 1977 that resulted in Foreman's first retirement; just a reality check for a veteran lay preacher who, if he goes now, can leave the sport with his health and the fond memories of his flock intact.

Briggs joins Muhammad Ali, Young, Tommy Morrison and Evander Holyfield as one of only five who have beaten Foreman in 80 fights. His name does not belong in the company of the great heavyweights who have held the supposed linear title that Foreman defended as a result of his never having lost his championship in the ring.

The young New Yorker, whose personal history was subject to the most outrageous revisionism prior to this fight - a former public schoolboy was sold as a street urchin who would hustle money playing chess in Washington Square park - Briggs would be summarily destroyed should he ever challenge the World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis, as has been suggested. Briggs is too wooden, too upright and, basically, not enough a genuine fighter.

However, Briggs overcame the personal demons of a traumatic 1996, when he was knocked out by Darroll Wilson, suffered the bereavement of his mother, a long-term drug user, his stepfather and a close friend. "It was tough, but I learned and I came through," he said. He could have been describing the fight, in which he often looked terrified but hung on to claim his 30th professional victory.

Foreman, no doubt with an eye to the future, declared that if he should be remembered as successful at anything, it should be as a salesman - "because I believe in products I endorse". But he finally appears to have stopped believing in himself as a fighter. They say that the last thing a boxer loses is his punch, but Briggs, supposedly of suspect chin, took Foreman's best and did not budge.

Indeed, Foreman has not scored a knock-down, let alone a knock-out, since the night, three years ago, that he stopped Michael Moorer to regain the championship he would subsequently relinquish. With an incredible 68 KOs from his 75 wins, Foreman, without a knock-out punch, is going nowhere. If he is wise, he will stay retired this time.

the foreman years

June 1969 Turned professional with a third-round knock-out of Don Waldheim.

January 1973 Challenged for world title, knocking out Joe Frasier in two rounds.

October 1974 Loses world title. Stopped in eight by Muhammad Ali in Manila.

March 1977 Retires following 12-round decision loss to Jimmy Young.

March 1987 Returns with a fourth-round knockout of Steve Zouski.

April 1991 Challenges for world title, losing 12-round decision to Evander Holyfield.

November 1994 Becomes oldest man to win world title, knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round.

November 1997 Announces retirement after 12-round decision loss to Shannon Briggs.