Is Chris Byrd Hall Of Fame Worthy?

Do you think Byrd would have got in if he'd retired at the optimal time?

Say he retires at 32 years old and 36-2 after schooling Holyfield to capture Lewis's vacated IBF title and become a 2x heavyweight champion. He says that his SMW frame can't take the punishment anymore, he's heavily dependent on speed which he's starting to lose and he wants to leave with his health in tact. No one would have held it against him. Plus the sooner you retire, the sooner people start nostalgising about you. Suddenly he's a pre-Klitschko era fighter too. He retires as the clear No.1 American heavyweight.

No controversial fights with Oquendo, Golota and McCline, no stinker with Williamson, no 2nd Wlad beatdown, no losses to Povetkin or George...

Wins over Vitali, Tua, Holyfield and a dozen or so fringe names, losses to Ibeabuchi and Wlad...

I think it goes to show the importance of career management in determining legacy. Whether Byrd was addicted to fighting or addicted to the money/status, he tarnished his legacy with subsequent fights. His previous wins were devalued and his perceived prime extended. Fighters often don't get much credit for fighting on after their time and if anything they come to be defined by those late-career performances.

 

Byrds fame will never die regardless of what some people who write on a boxing forum think of him.

 

i want whatever yall are on that dont think chris byrd is a hall of famer. ARTURO GATTI is a HOFer. LMAO

 

nah, vitali injured himself punching so much air. Pure skill in that victory by byrd.

 

guy is one of the greatest amatuer fighters of all time. Heavyweight champ. wins over TUA, holyfield, and klitsko. Natty super middle who was a heavyweight champ. pound for pound ****. GTFOH

 

Gatti was a two weight world champion though and was atleast in multiple FOTY's. Fights that will be remembered in future generations for years to come.

Byrd's short title reign was very forgettable and he arguably lost in all his title defences vs Golota, Oquendo, McCline, and the Williamson fight should've been a no contest due to how awful it was. Not to mention Byrd won a vacated belt vs a shot Holyfield with a torn rotator cuff.

 

he was as boring as they get

 

you cant discredit a super middleweight who went to heavy and won the title and was ducked by many. You can but it just shows ignorance.

 

I give him credit and I actually like Chris Byrd but do I think hes worthy of HOF ? No.

Gatti got in there for the excitement in brung to the sport, but technically he isn't worthy of HOF either.

But I don't really know what the criteria is for HOF anymore anyway, there seems like quite a few random picks that don't make sense.

 

Why not. Stallone’s there and he’s an actor. How can the IBHOF have inductees every year. Can’t be that many IBHOFamers. So might as well.

 

No. Based on what?

 

In a nutshell:

- 1992 Olympic silver medallist at 165 lbs

- Turned pro in 1993 at 22, weighing 169 lbs

- Beat WBO champion, future 10 defence WBC heavyweight champion and HoF Vitali (RTD9) on away soil, despite being 7 inches shorter and 34 lbs lighter

- Future 14 defence heavyweight champion and HoF Lewis vacated the IBF belt to sidestep Byrd

- 2x heavyweight champion (WBO, IBF)

- No.1 Ring ranked heavyweight in 05/06, the only No.1 ranked heavyweight not named "Klitschko" during the Klitschko era (2004-2015)

Byrd made a mistake taking the hard road by virtually starting at heavy rather than going for titles at 175 and/or 190, as well as retiring far too late. With better career management he'd have got in.

 

Usyk's doppleganger

 

Hatton was a two weight world champion. Lineal champ at 140. Unified at 140. Made a faded yet still dominant ruler of 140 quit on his stool. Just a few achievements amongst many.
He wasnt the most technically gifted but exciting to watch.
In terms of fame and what he did for the sport in the UK, there are few that compare. I don't know of any other British fighter that regularly had 30k+ fans follow him to Vegas.
He fell short against two of the very best if his era but beat everybody below that level at 140.
Hiw is that not hall of fame worthy?

 

Silver medalist, who cares.

like you said, mistakes.