Who would have won? I think Lewis stops him.
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Who would have won? I think Lewis stops him.
I think Lewis would have won for certain. I am not sure if he stops him or gets a decision. Chris Byrd had a hell of a chin and he was a slick fighter. I always felt a little sorry for Chris Byrd because he never got the big title shot vs anyone but Wladimir and man did Wlad have his number.
Chris earned money in a very hard way....I think had he started as a light heavyweight and moved to cruiserweight more people would be impressed by him and compare him more favorably to the likes of Roy Jones Jr, Evander Holyfield, James Toney, and Michael Moorer....not saying he's better just saying he'd be compared with those guys more.
Lennox Lewis was too fucking big and too good with the jab to lose on points to Byrd and he'd certainly hurt Byrd but not sure if he'd certainly stop him....maybe 70/30 on Lewis winning by KO vs UD.
Lewis would have every advantage. He's bigger, taller, longer, and hits harder.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
It's like they say, "A good big man beats a good little man".
Absolutely, but Chris Byrd was used to things not being in his advantage. Now yeah I give Byrd pretty much 0% chance of beating Lewis if they fought 100 times Lewis would win 100 times. It's just a matter of which Lewis shows up, the lazy Lewis who beat Frank Bruno or the determined Lewis who beat Rahman and Tyson....really depends. Byrd didn't have the power to hurt Lennox unless he landed a clean shot running across the whole ring, but his head movement and chin paired with a lazy Lennox Lewis, that could see him last the distance....which is pretty damned impressive considering Byrd was a very small heavyweight for the era.Quote:
Originally Posted by VG_Addict
Now Lennox vs John Ruiz that's a demolition job because of the different style. Ruiz was not difficult to hit once you had distance on him and the uppercut would have finished anything Johnny wanted to accomplish on the inside right quick.
Chris Byrd, that's a different style....good slick fighter, class act, always liked Chris Byrd.
Lewis would have beaten Byrd, but Byrd was always at a disadvantage among the heavies. It is a credit to his ability that he achieved as well as he did.
Sorry I hit the friggin dislike button, my fault, my fault.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
Good post, good points.
All good. I really loved Byrds fight with Tua. Tia came in at an amazingly fit fighting weight and we all knew his power was legit. Byrd fight brilliantly. No running or spoiling. Just excellent boxing. That fight always impressed me.
Chris Byrd really feared NOBODY look at the resume: Ibeabuchi, Tua, Holyfield, Vitali, Wlad x2....the guy would fight ANYONE and for a smaller heavyweight with no big time punching power that's very impressive
Definitely agree with you. I would have liked to have seen him work his way up the weights or even concentrate on cruiser early in his career I think he would have great success. I could see him as a 3 weight belt holder
People thought that Lennox avoided him but he could not be bothered to fight against a King fighteror was that Ruiz. Either way Lennox had bigger fish to beat.
Lewis was looking for bigger fights (Tyson, Klitschkos) at the time so he dropped the IBF belt. I think he was paid by King when he did.
Just like everyone else said, I see Lennox beating Byrd every time they fight (mostly stoppage wins). Chris was very tricky in the ring, had GREAT boxing ability/defense (silver medalist as a MIDDLEWEIGHT), and a ton of heart. That being said, Vitali and Wladimir showed how solid boxing skills and a HUGE size advantage could trouble Byrd. Ibeabuchi showed what would happen when a bonafied heavyweight puncher landed a bomb on his chin. Lennox had the size and boxing ability of the Klitschkos, and likely a harder punch than Ike. Bad match up for Byrd.
Fights I would have LOVED to see Byrd in would've been Roy at heavyweight, and Toney at light heavy or cruiserweight. Maybe prime Tyson would've been interesting too, although I see Mike having too big a punch for Chris (similar to Ibeabuchi).
Two fights I would pay to see Lennox in where Bowe (obviously), followed by Ike Ibeabuchi. Both of those would've been extremely interesting and competitive fights for Lewis. Lennox fought just about everyone else though...
That was really a top notch performance. Probably the only time I've heard Tua literally grunt from body shots as Byrd was just killing it constantly. Byrd faced a lot of stocky squat guys early but the problems came with exactly what Lewis would bring. Height, mass and very strong boxing behind a stiff smart jab. The saddest thing was watching Byrd so convinced he would reinvent his career at the very end. He was unrecognizable at 175 and the years of wear and tear overwhelmed his always positive willing mind in a fight that was near unwatchable. Extremely talented fighter who maximized his strengths against the odds and fought all comers. Wide eyed and sharp as a tack also.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
I hate to be the spoil sport in this Byrd love fest. ;D
Nice guy and all... and hats off to him for his tremendous boxing skills and probably some overachievement in the HW division given his physical deficiencies.
BUT................... I absolutely HATED to watch any of his fights. I don't know. Maybe I expect stuff out of heavyweights that I don't expect out of other weight divisions. I know it's unfair. But Byrd would put me to sleep. To each his own, I guess. I was spoiled by the Ali's, the Fraziers, the Foremans, the Lennoxes, the Tysons (Mike, not Fury ;D ). Even the Ruddocks and the Tuas. Heavyweight isn't the division for chess playing.
He could be pretty irritating if I'm honest, the whole family in the corner and pushing up religion but hey, whatever makes you strong I guess. Still though when Evander looked at him to just grab a trinket you just knew he would be a nightmare for him style wise.Quote:
Originally Posted by TitoFan
I'll agree, it could be a bit of grind to watch byrd do his thing at heavyweight. Morever, the stylistic detriments may be attributed to the fact that he really didnt belong in the heavyweight division. Lennox probably batters him from pillar to post in the late rounds every time. Byrd was so allusive in the early round most of the time, as his speed and defensive abilities were sharper when he was fresh. Eventually the weight he would carry on his frame would wear him down and he's slow down as the fights went on because of it... and he'd be fast enough to look evasive but just slow enough to get caught. Lennox liked his chess matches and wouldn't burn himself out chasing byrd just forcing the jab and taking real estate from byrd and when byrd slowed. Lennox would start to land. Being He really didnt have much to fear from byrds firepower, Lennox wouldn't have as much reason to be careful of what he threw. This wasn't a rahman or a mccall. This would be feeding time in a boa constrictor tank. The mouse is fast and jumpy and fast enough to stay away early... eventually there's nowhere to go and you cant run forever.
It was sad to see him in that Shaun George fight.
Was that his last fight when he went down a division and lost?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
That was showing how good he was to have fought at heavyweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by J_Undisputed
Excellent description! Got a chuckle out of the boa constrictor analogy. ;D