Chris Byrd is criminally underrated here

Vitali and Holyfield both tore out their shoulders fighting Byrd...

This is because Byrd stayed in range and made guys miss wide, perhaps Lewis and his team realized that fighting a guy like that in his late 30 wasn't such a bright idea and he could suffer a similar fate.

Byrd was his #1 contender, HBO gave them a date, but Lewis talked with his team and sold the title to King to pursue a possible rematch with Tyson. It's so obvious what happened here.

Also worth noting King wanted the winner of Jones/Ruiz to face the winner of Byrd/Holyfield for a unification. Jones was game for Holyfield but refused once Byrd came out the winner. So Lewis wasn't alone in his caution of approaching a Byrd fight. Vitali also wasn't in a hurry to get back in the ring with him.

 

Funny how Lewis eventually decided that fighting Kirk Johnson was the better option. I can't see how Johnson was more viable, or more of a challenge.

But history forgets that, because Lewis - to his credit - ended up taking on Vitali when Johnson pulled out late.

 

I don't know that he's underrated, you've pretty much summed up what seems to have always been the consensus view on him. :conf

 

This is something I rant about alot on the forum, but it's certainly one of the few instances we have a clear as can be "duck" of a deserving #1 contender that nobody wants to talk about because the guy in question matched up poorly against the younger Klitschko brother once upon a time.

In all these other instances there are passable fringe reasons.."political climate of the time" "color line" "they had the same trainer" "timing was bad" "contract dispute"..whatever, sure, ok we can buy that. But in this case the only reason the fight didn't come off was because Lewis met with his team and decided HBO didn't know what was good for them. atsch Bowe had more valid reasons for trashing the title, but they are quick to call him a coward.

And even that's only because Vitali ended up being more game than we all thought he would be...funny that.

 

While Ibeabuchi is just a criminal.

 

The Mongoose is exactly the type of dumb Klittard I was referring to.

 

Links please.

 

You certainly can't counter my claim that HBO was commited to Lewis/Byrd and Lewis' reasoning for not taking the fight was called into question by the media. So I guess childish name calling is all you got.

Frankly you are a joke on this forum, you are so "over the top" that nobody takes you seriously, maybe you should tone it down if you really want to sway opinions. You come off as a parody, is that your intention?

 

HBO was committed to Lewis/Byrd? False.

 

I just posted a link to an SI article that gives an exact date HBO set aside for the fight. atsch

 

HBO certainly wanted Tyson-Lewis far more than a Byrd fight. After that Lewis was contemplating retirement or one last super fight with Jones or Vitali. There was absolutely no demand for a Byrd-Lewis fight.

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This is Lewis in training camp for Kirk Johnson giving his personal thoughts on why Tyson II didn't happen and what he wants to do after Johnson. I'm sorry but it doesn't add any weight to your above claims, nor does it really have anything to do with it.

 

I don't see anything that states HBO wanted Lewis-Byrd.

 

And I won't be seeing anymore of your posts!

 

Well I don't blame you for doing that, seeing as how, again...there's nothing from HBO saying they were pushing that specific matchup.