Chris Byrd challenges Lennox Lewis at a press conference

What about the re-match for Mercer? Mercer on his game could box. His jab was quality. He won the gold medal in the Olympics for example.

 

And? What does any of that have to do with the fact Byrd is faster, smarter, more skilled, and better defensively than a guy who obliterated Lewis? You're implying the only way to beat Lewis is with a big punch.

What re match? Mercer never rematched Lewis. He had a great jab and not much else. He relied on his granite chin, pressure, and powerful hooks to wear guys down for the most part. Mercer doesn't have a 1/3rd of Chris Byrd's ring IQ and arguably beat Lewis.

 

I mean it's as clear as day he had more power but that isn't really relevant when the comparison made is a fight that went the distance. Mercer's success wasn't due to him beating up Lewis from pillar to post or knocking him down, so pointing out that he had more power than Byrd isn't all that significant.

Mercer had a better chin but Byrd had way better defense so it evens out.

 

Oh, I was saying based on a very close 10 round fight, Mercer deserved a re-match with Lewis.

 

When was Chris Byrd in better shape than Lewis ? Don't do this my friend ! Lewis was one of the most muscular
heavyweight champion in the boxing history.

 

The thread is discussing Byrd fighting the post Vitali fight Lewis who ballooned up to a career high 256 lbs. He was completely gassed and fighting with his mouth open in just 6 rounds.

Vitali also did him a favor standing right in front of him and slugging it out. Byrd would not do either of these things so it seems very silly that people in this thread believe an out of shape flabby 38 year old Lewis is going to just cut the ring off and take Byrd out early.

 

And yet he was able to go the distance with super heavies like Golota, Tua, and Wladmir Klitschko and kept Vitali off of him and beat him.

Stop talking.

 

Maybe...But i think Lewis was too strong for Byrd and Vitali Klitschko's chin was far better than Byrd's..

 

Lennox is a horrible style match up for Byrd, it would be a boring uneventful fight at that stage anyway.

 

I can't even imagine how HBO would try to sell Lewis vs Byrd at any stage in their careers.
By 2003 Lennox would take a decision in a boring fight.

 

Byrd could outbox Lewis, and at the point in time Lennox was on the slide. Again, I favour Lewis, but things are not nearly as cut and dried at you think they are.

 

Most likely this.

 

I do not usually disagree with your astute posts GCB, but that is an unfair assessment of McCall.
At 42 he was 51-8 scoring most of his victories by KO: his personal problems do not obviate his accomplishments.
That he may well have had the best chin ever does not make him a punching bag.
He was a World Class fighter. Just not the best of the best.

Lewis put on muscle-look at pictures of him at 245 he was not really fat.
In his last fight with Vitali at 256 he was getting fat.