Thread: Chris Byrd schooled Vitali Klitschko on only 10 days' notice

This made me start thinking of Buddy McGirt. He tore his left bicep against Bermudez then went on and put on an absolute clinic vs Simon Brown. Had re injured it, had nearly pulled out against his mandatory but fought..nearly getting tkod late...then fought Whitaker and tore his rotator in the third round, clear as day and he might as well have had the left tapped to his side but he arguably beat the p4p Whitaker in the end. Dude was never the same though.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

This made me start thinking of Buddy McGirt. He tore his left bicep against Bermudez then went on and put on an absolute clinic vs Simon Brown. Had re injured it, had nearly pulled out against his mandatory but fought..nearly getting tkod late...then fought Whitaker and tore his rotator in the third round, clear as day and he might as well have had the left tapped to his side but he arguably beat the p4p Whitaker in the end. Dude was never the same though.

It comes down to self preservation. Had Vitali continued he may have not had a career.Pascal had shoulder problems early in his career and carried on and that has cut his career off in many ways over the past 5 years. He cant pick up a glass of water w/o a shoulder dislocating.

Originally Posted by IamInuit

Originally Posted by Spicoli

This made me start thinking of Buddy McGirt. He tore his left bicep against Bermudez then went on and put on an absolute clinic vs Simon Brown. Had re injured it, had nearly pulled out against his mandatory but fought..nearly getting tkod late...then fought Whitaker and tore his rotator in the third round, clear as day and he might as well have had the left tapped to his side but he arguably beat the p4p Whitaker in the end. Dude was never the same though.

It comes down to self preservation. Had Vitali continued he may have not had a career.Pascal had shoulder problems early in his career and carried on and that has cut his career off in many ways over the past 5 years. He cant pick up a glass of water w/o a shoulder dislocating.

Im just stuck on the roller coaster and thinking outloud. To me, Vitali did what he thought and felt he had to do. In the moment can you question it or yell quit..yeah. Fourteen years later and what he's done and had the opportunity to accomplish, avoid, etc can you yell quit with full legitimacy...imho...Hell no! To boot, it was a legit injury but at the benefit of hindsight. On one day we pray for a Mago but emphasis his limitations, another we yell quit and shame on a guy because we gauge his ability higher and the opponent lesser or suspect!? Its all just Cybil. Someone put something in my coffee

Chris Byrd fought his best and eluded a lot of damage as always, made Vitali miss a lot. Other than that he performed terrible against him, Vitali won nearly every round. It was only through his gift retirement via major injury not caused by any punch which presented Byrd with a belt.

I love Byrd personally but there's no way he could beat legitimately either Klitschko... EVER! lol

vit klit dicked out....Marciano fought with his nose hanging off. Ali fought with contused kidneys and Ali fought 15 rounds with Ken Norton with a broken jaw.

yeah, vit klit will never be a Marciano, and he will never be an Ali either.

blockbuster;

I will agree with you on that comment.

In the sense you are referring too above, the Klits lack "toughness" and the old timers clearly had that. It's changing times. I could argue that the Klits have far more self respect and are far smarter though.

However I would also like to add that Vitali retiring against Byrd was one of the two most disgraceful acts in HW boxing (the other being "chicken Bowe").

All he had to do was go out there and defend for a couple of rounds and he would have won the fight without throwing another single punch.

Larry Merchant was correct. He did not display the mentality of a champion!

Since then, however, he did in fact earn back his respect!

Originally Posted by Max Power

Larry Merchant was correct. He did not display the mentality of a champion!

Since then, however, he did in fact earn back his respect!

Agreed. I think he earned back his respect in the Lewis brawl. Those guys went to war.

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

Originally Posted by Max Power

Larry Merchant was correct. He did not display the mentality of a champion!

Since then, however, he did in fact earn back his respect!

Agreed. I think he earned back his respect in the Lewis brawl. Those guys went to war.

Vitali has shown he has a great chin and heart subsequently and luckily not defined by that defeat.

I think the Vitali of 2003-onward would have fought on.