
Originally Posted by
ross
Quote from Byrd around the time that Lennox refused to defend against him.
"It's Emmanuel Steward. That is the reason why Lennox Lewis will not fight me. Emmanuel knows my style beats Lennox. Lennox would never hit me and Steward wants somebody to stand in front of Lennox. That's why Lennox wants to fight the Klitschko brothers, because they will stand flat-footed in front of him. Lennox is too big and too slow and he is older now. He is 37 years old. My reflexes are quicker. I would make him look silly. I am too great of a challenge. You go ask anybody in the top ten, "Who do you NOT want to fight?" and everyone will tell you "Chris Byrd" because I am too quick, too slick and I will make you look bad. I wish Lennox had been a man about this. Evander Holyfied has said he wants to avoid me but he has always stepped up to the plate. Evander has never ducked a challenge. All of the great boxers fight everyone. Look at Ali! Look at Holyfield! Lennox will go through the rest of his life with people saying he avoided me. How can you say someone is not worthy who has earned the #1 spot? It is greedy. A true champion fights anyone in the division. I would fight whoever was there if I was champion. I have already proven I will fight anybody, anywhere. I have lost to Ike Ibeabuchi and Wladimir Klitschko. Ike would have been the future of boxing if he had stayed out of trouble and Wladimir is considered one of the best. Lennox was beat by Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall. If I am not worthy, are Rahman or McCall worthy because they beat him?"
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