Chris Byrd schooled Vitali Klitschko on only 10 days' notice

[IamInuit]

This is what is wrong with boxing. We complain when boxers are too scared to lose their 0 and won't risk fighting one another, yet we chastise a fighter for doing the smart thing and prolonging their career.

Usually I agree, but I don't think this scenario was so cut and dry. Would another 3 rounds really make that big a difference to the shoulder injury?

It could have been a career ender and as mentioned it later haunted him with Del boy. Vitali gets the benefit of the doubt with me. He never did anything like that before or after. I dont consider what he did a quit. Its like saying Greb quit against Graves. We simply do not know how serious it was at the time. Maybe someone could find a copy of the x-rays and then we could put an APB out for an x-ray technician Losing and arm in a boxing match tends to make the task at hand a little difficult.

[Beanflicker]

I dont consider what he did a quit.

Well I think it's undisputable that he quit, I guess the argument is just whether or not it was justified.

I'm not saying it was a full bitch-out, pussy move like Duran's No mas, but at the same time he didn't show the warrior's spirit, the "never say die" attitude that we've come to expect (right or wrong) from world champion boxers.

Whether or not he saved his career by quitting, I have no idea. But my question would be how did he know for certain he had a torn rotator cuff? It could have been just a strained or pulled muscle in the shoulder. In that moment, I doubt he could have known that it was potential career ender, even with his education in sports science.

[IamInuit]

I dont consider what he did a quit.

Well I think it's undisputable that he quit, I guess the argument is just whether or not it was justified.

I'm not saying it was a full bitch-out, pussy move like Duran's No mas, but at the same time he didn't show the warrior's spirit, the "never say die" attitude that we've come to expect (right or wrong) from world champion boxers.

Whether or not he saved his career by quitting, I have no idea. But my question would be how did he know for certain he had a torn rotator cuff? It could have been just a strained or pulled muscle in the shoulder. In that moment, I doubt he could have known that it was potential career ender, even with his education in sports science.

He stopped due to injury to what might be classed as a tad imperative in a boxing match. The use of an arm. "Quit" suggests something dishonourable. Duran quit. Vitali was unable to continue because of a torn rotator cuff. Big difference to me but if its the same to you then no sense continuing here. In my mind he never quit.

[Beanflicker]

He stopped due to injury to what might be classed as a tad imperative in a boxing match. The use of an arm. "Quit" suggests something dishonourable. Duran quit. Vitali was unable to continue because of a torn rotator cuff. Big difference to me but if its the same to you then no sense continuing here. In my mind he never quit.

But he did have use of his left arm. Obviously it was nowhere near fully operational, but he was throwing punches with it in the round before he quit. It's not like it was hanging limp at his side.

I won't argue semantics, but when you choose to stop something, that's a quit to me. Wasn't like it was a corner or doctor stoppage. He was the one to say "no mas, senor".

As far as this ending career stuff... I dunno man. I've heard of guys going into fights with torn rotator cuffs and fighting the duration. Floyd reportedly tore his rotator cuff a few days before Castillo 1, and UFC fighter Korean Zombie fought and won a fight with a torn rotator cuff last year.

Whatever though, I'm a big Klitschko fan and I think Vitali more than redeemed himself afterwards. But I'd say he regretted that decision.