Lennox Lewis vs. Chris Byrd.

Lewis likely by late round knockout would be my guess. Disappointing it never happened

 

It's interesting at that point primarily because Lennox didn't have the same movement, and that was always one of Byrd's strong points. By that time, Byrd had learned from the Ibeabuchi knockout and had been exposed to a long, strong jab by Wlad en route to a wide points loss after the Vitali fight.

The key to the fight, for me, is Lennox's jab. Byrd was not an easy fighter at all to pin down at range, but it could be done. The easy choice is Lennox by UD (or even a potential late stoppage) given what we know of Byrd's history against big, rangy boxer/ punchers with skill.

However, we don't know how Lennox handled southpaws at all, and this was coming at the tail end of Lennox's career and the sweet spot of Byrd's.

I'd favor Lewis, but can I say a Byrd upset would really surprise me if it turns out Lennox really didn't like southpaws? Not really.

I still wouldn't give Byrd more than a 20-25% chance, even with all the circumstances I spelled out. He can only win this on points, Lennox has the tools to win either on points or by knockout.

 

Good post. I think Lewis UD is likely outcome unless he was a complete disaster against southpaws and why he was steered from them.

 

It really would have been a good fight... but Lewis would have stopped him in the late rounds.

 

Byrd via points. Lewis was too slow at this stage, there's a reason he turned down 10 million to make this fight and watch Byrd/Holyfield fight for his title instead.

 

Lewis would knock Byrd out, same as the Klitschkos whenever they didn't have an injury. Though quite amusingly, I heard Byrd say on Jay Mohr's podcast that if they fought 100 times he'd beat Wladimir Klitschko 98 times, even though he KO'd him the first two times. Now, he's got his number, and knows exactly what to do.

*Oops, my mistake. Wladimir beat him by wide decision the first time but didn't knock him out until their second meeting.

 

Very interesting.

 

Lewis would find a way to win, he was far more adaptable then he gets credit for. I suspect he'd be fairly aggressive and land a solid over hand right at some point, which would be the beginning of the end for Bryd.

People knock the Olympics but I think if nothing else it gives you all kinds of experience in fighting various fighting styles, and Bryd is almost an Olympic type fighter.

 

Horse****.

Lewis would of beaten Chris as Wlad beat Chris.

 

Lewis was the better heavy there is no doubt but the question that can't be answered is how he would fare against a southpaw. There is really no way to answer it. I think the only lefty he fought was gorilla gorell early in his career. He avoided lefties although there were probably only three that may have posed a threat to him during his career, Sanders obviously, Moorer and Byrd.

 

2002 Lewis would batter 2006 Byrd like Wlad.

But in their first when Byrd was still slippery, Wlad had to use some blistering hand speed and offensive skills to outbox the quick Southpaw, much more than a 36 year old Lewis.

This version of Byrd took everyone's jab from them. Double right hand lead at 2:40 and 3:10, that is what it takes to get this version of Byrd flush, a 36 year old Lewis is not throwing such a combo.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB2w5QhXeas[/url]

 

I think Lewis had enough to beat Byrd but may have been an ugly fight, I am not sure how well Lewis handled Southpaws and Corrie Sanders may have been a tricky fast and furious foe for him as well

 

I know that Wlad didn't knock Byrd out the first time but like I said it was a very wide decision. Judge: Bill Lerch 106-120 | judge: Axel Zielke 107-119 | judge: Cesar Ramos 108-118 Including two knockdowns.

 

I'm inclined to picking Byrd via close decision. By 2002 Lennox was coming in too heavy for his own good, was 36 years old and had lost a lot of mobility. Byrd was more or less in his prime or close to it anyway.