I`ve always been impressed with Chris Byrd`s skills as a fighter. I believe he fought as an amateur at middleweight and I`m pretty sure that`s where he started his pro career and moved all the way up to heavyweight to have great success in the era of monster heavyweights. I find this very impressive considering the fact that naturally he was not a big heavyweight and never had big power in his punches yet he was so crafty and skilled enough that he could beat much bigger and stronger men. What I was thinking about was how would Byrd have done had he been around in different era`s, How do you think he`d have done in the early 1950`s when small heavyweights like Marciano, Walcott, Charles, Moore and Patterson reigned supreme? Would`ve he been able to capture the title or at least been a top contender? How do you guys see him fitting into the heavyweight scene of the 1970's? Could he have had success like Jimmy Young a similar kinda fighter to himself. Like Young could've Byrd potentially given some of the great fighters of that time fits and do you think he may have been able to capture a world title? How do you guys see Byrd fitting into the 1980's heavyweight scene? Would he have been good challenger for the great Larry Holmes? Do you think Byrd's style could've troubled Holmes? Do you think Byrd at least could've captured the WBA title? Finally how do you see Byrd fitting into the late 1980's and early 1990's when the division was full of contenders with a few great champions. Do you think Byrd could've perhaps upset Tyson, Bowe, Holyfield or Moorer with his style? Would've Byrd been able to beat the top contenders who were making noise like Razor Ruddock, Ray Mercer and Tommy Morrison? Or would've he fallen into the same class as many of the other heavyweights of the time who had skills but never made it to the top,
I actually think hw would do well in the 50's and '60, as well as been skilled, quick and awkard he would be pretty big around 205-215. He'd trouble Moorer too and Holmes, I think. Capture a title in the '80's for sure but while he wasn't any better than Witherspoon, Tubbs etc he had the dedication to get the most from his gifts. Tyson, Holy, Bowe overpower him though IMO.
I think Patterson beats him as the speed factor is lost to Byrd and I see Floyd as the more dynamic if he hasn't an Ellis moment.
Nice thread. Byrd had great skills and speed. He was small and had no power though, its were his limitations. Don't know about 50's. There were many skilled fighters at the time and they hit harder than Byrd. In 70s I can't see Byrd beating Ali or Foreman but he'd be successful against some other top-contenders. In 80s Byrd won't beat Holmes, wrong style for him, also bigger/better puncher than Byrd. He would do well against others and captures other belt though (WBA or WBC when Holmes vacated it). In 90's Tyson, Bowe, Lewis and Holy would be too strong for him but he beats McCall, Bruno, Morrison and Mercer I think.
Funny, Holy too strong, Bryd actually beat Holy and very easily, this was after Holy put a beating on Rahman.
Holy had tons of trouble with quick fighters, if he couldn't get them to fight the inside game with him, where he could use his head he was lost. Bryd would beat Holy 9 out of 10 times, the others may have been too big, but he also easily beat David Tua, and fought even with big Golota, so not sure.
-McCall? McCall destroyed Lewis easily and maybe he's the only man who destroyed the 6'7" skilled Akinwande.Akinwande was Byrd's taller and better version. -Bruno? Are you serious? Only big fighters (by muscle mass) and /or hard punchers and/or tall guys could beat him(Tyson,Smith,Lewis,Witherspoon) -Mercer? He could destroy the prime Morrison and Damiani. -Morrison?He was a tough power-puncher. Check the Ibeabuchi-Byrd fight out ! Byrd was lucky against vitali klitschko and he beat a bad Holyfield. Byrd was a typical right time-right place lucky fighter.
Byrd was a talented boxer with speed and defense. Although he seldom gets credit for it, he had a very good chin as well. Mix in a south paw stance, and you've got a tough man to beat. Byrd wasn't very big or strong, but he gave much bigger a lot of trouble.
He did pretty well in a division of giants and beat many of them, take his southpaw style back through the decades and he does well. He may not have the resources to gain 50lbs of muscle back then so in that case he would be a KO'd victim to Charles, Moore, and lost to the many other better skilled guys but Chris was a competitor so he would compete
He was a relatively small and light hitting fighter for the division and era he was in.. Yet he still managed to win two world titles, beat some good opponents and gave some galant losing efforts.. I'm thinking history will eventually develop a fond appreciation for him, even though he wasn't thought of very highly in his day