Why is Vitali given a pass for not rematching Byrd ?

Vitali gets passes for a lot of things: very weak resume, not rematching Byrd, never beating the second best HW in the world and somehow some people see his effort against Lewis as a victory which is ridiculous. All because he had a chin and balls. Some casuals even say he was better than Wlad, with nothing to show for it.

 

I remember Ring Magazine having Vitali at #1 after Lennox retired, Byrd at #2, Corrie Sanders at #3. I think they were just anxious to have a Ring Magazine heavyweight champion, so they used their "in special cases the new champ can be crowned by #1 fighting #3" clause. In my opinion they went too fast with this one, and Vitali never rematching Byrd is why I never considered him lineal.

 

Vitali Lewis should probably be paused a little. Doubt it's happening anytime soon though.

 

Vitali should definitely have rematched Byrd, around 2002, if Byrd was willing.

But let us not forget Lewis also avoided fighting Byrd.

 

Actually, the crowning of Vitali had a lot of sense at the time. If he didn't retire early, he probably would be seen as the lineal champion.

 

Lennox never rematched Vitali. I have no doubt Vitali would have smashed up Byrd in a rematch.

But we're never gonna get to see it!

 

That's true. But I think either brother felt avenged if one of them beat the other's conqueror.

 

Very true

 

Was it a timing thing? Byrd lost his very next fight against Wlad. Was there demand at the time? In hindsight I agree there should’ve been a rematch at some point.

 

I agree that a rematch should have been chased ... but would anybody here really put a bent nickel on Byrd winning if it had happened? The rematch would have been 'for honour' and not because anybody seriously thinks Byrd would beat Vitali.

 

Apparently the revisionists on this board think there's a good chance that he would have.

 

****ing lol

 

honestly in boxing how many rematches really happen? why didnt foreman rematch ali, why didnt tyson rematch douglas, why didnt pacman rematch horn etc etc etc

 

Initially I laughed at this thread but it is interesting. I ASSUMES the fight didn't happen cause it didn't respect Vitalis injury timeline. Vitali was injured and needed surgery and obviously time off to heal. Did Vitali not want a rematch of a fight he was winning? Or did Byrd get offered more money and a hyped up fight w twin brother? Cause Wlad Byrd fought in October...Vitali came back in November...