Chris Byrd is criminally underrated here

You said HBO wanted it for December, no? Lewis wasn't thinking about fighting then and as I have already proved was contemplating retirement BEFORE this supposed proposed bout by HBO in which HBO as pointed out never said it wanted Byrd. You're reasoning makes no sense and your own link doesn't show HBO wanting Lewis-Byrd. In top of that you're ignoring the FACT there was no public demand for the fight during that period.

 

I think you are confused, your article is from June 2003 with Lews in training for Kirk Johnson.

My article is from Sept 02 in regards to a possible matchup that would have occured that Decemeber of 2002.

The article explictly states HBO set aside December 07 for a Lewis fight...expected to be against Byrd as they were about to enter purse bids with the deadline approaching. The executive states he would have to quickly find a new opponent after refusing Byrd to keep the Dec. 07 date.

HBO ended up doing Byrd/Holyfield for the vacant belt. And had no problem airing subsequent Byrd fights either.

 

And this proves Lewis had been contemplating retirement long before and proposed Byrd fight which there was no demand for.

This content is protected

 

[url]http://www.reocities.com/Baja/9660/Latest/ln082002.html[/url]

Word is that heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is planning to fight Chris Byrd on December 7 and is finializing a 3-fight, mega-million dollar deal with HBO. A source told Fightnews that Lewis wants 3-4 more fights before retiring. The champion still feels he is in his prime, has absolutely no interest in retiring at this age and is just playing poker to get more money. The source also stated that WBA heavyweight titlist John Ruiz threw a wrench into Lewis’ plans by defeating Kirk Johnson. Lennox was to fight Byrd, Johnson, Vitali Klitschko and end his career with a super fight against Wladimir Klitschko. A source at HBO confirmed the negotiations with Lewis and told Fightnews that Lennox "will end his career at HBO."

 

There was no demand for a Lewis-Byrd fight.
Byrd would have had to build on his win over Holyfield to estalbish such
a demand, but he looked horrible in every one of his bogus title defenses, all of them gifts as Byrd was outfought in everyone of those fights.

 

The Byrd fight was entering purse bids about two months into his "year out of the ring." So I'm not sure what you mean by proves "long before." He said alot happened to him and at present is thinking about retiring on a last big super-fight...clearly after the Johnson fight he is in training camp for.

It doesn't matter, as my argument was that HBO set aside a date for Byrd/Lewis. Dec. 07 was exactly one day before the IBF deadline of Dec. 08 btw.

 

What? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a fight need to be agreed upon to enter purse bids? What promoter in his right mind is going to bid on a fight that isn't signed? So again, I'll be asking for a link to this absurd claim!

 

It was a mandatory defense against the IBF #1. The deadline was approaching and Lewis officially dropped the belt the day the purse bids were to be held.

I already provided the link, you should have read it, I was kind enough to read yours...here it is again:

The decision by Lewis came just as the IBF was to take purse bids Thursday from promoters for a fight against Byrd, a crafty left-hander who tends to frustrate his opponents and make them look bad.
In a statement Thursday, Lewis, who for a brief time held all three major heavyweight titles, said the champion was more important than the title.

[url]

This content is protected

[/url]

 

"First of all I am pleased Lennox Lewis has made some decision. This is something we expected when he defeated Hasim Rahman to regain his title. His statement is disappointing in that he fails to recognize that Chris Byrd has been one of the few boxers who have earned his #1 ranking in the ring. True champions fight their mandatories and it is disappointing that Lewis has chosen to add this as footnote to his legacy. Truthfully, we believe Chris Byrd posed unique challenges to the style of Lennox Lewis who claims to be the Pugilist specialist. Lennox has chosen to relinquish a belt rather than match his skills against a true pugilism specialist such as Chris Byrd. Legacy and championships made are earned in the ring no matter what money is available. As champion, you would have hoped that Lewis would have been able to command the type of money to make any fight a winning proposition. It just goes to show, when you beat The Man (Mike Tyson) you don't necessary become The Man. Lewis is not The Man in the eyes of the public or in the sense of a true 'unified' world champion (who wants to keep his title at all cost). It is a sad statement because I know Chris had always held out hope to fight for the linear title. Chris wanted to match his skills against the best. Now that Lewis has taken himself out the picture, we will turn our sites to on a true champion, Evander Holyfield. Many observers believe Evander bested Lewis in their last fight. I am looking forward to Chris having his opportunity in fighting Evander Holyfield."


Amen...

 

@ this lie he threw in there

 

From the same article.....

This content is protected

This content is protected

Now here's the next question...who were the supposed promoters who were going to bid on a fight that wasn't signed and that Lewis, in YOUR own article, says he came to a prior decision to not fight Byrd because there was no interest and he felt Byrd wouldn't be competitive?

Seems like your whole case is this one article and you're trying to twist the words to fit your point.

 

That green doesn't meen anything to the topic at hand.

The article doesn't say who the promoters were. I'm not an insider.

Yes, Lewis said that.

I have not twisted any words, you said it was absurd that the purse bids would begin and I pointed you to the exact location in the article that says otherwise.

 

With all due respect, I've given you a link and words straight from Lewis...have even used words from Lewis from your link. You've given me a link with conjecture and nothing to support what it says. You seem like a decent enough guy, and I appreciate you've actually tried to build a case without hurling insults, but I just cant buy what you're saying when I can show otherwise and with a more strongly supported case.

 

Are you saying that Wlad is covered every fight on HBO?

Wlad put the whole division on life support with his fight with Sultan and his business model (because HBO and most of North America does not care for his style or his brand) is based in Germany.

I get a kick out of everyone that mentions "selling out stadiums". what is the over all gate that he makes off of these fights? Does Floyd and Manny make more by selling out the MGM then they make selling 4- 5 times amount of tickets? How well would they do in North America? I bet he could not sell out a high school gym and unless he had someone that the public cared about on the opposite side.

Wlad makes about half of what Manny makes and a 1/4 of floyd and thats mainly because he could not make it in north america . . . I do not think Lennox wanted to go down that path.

 

-I'm not sure what you expected that link to prove in regards to what I posted. It's 9 months after he already officially ruled out Byrd as ever being a future opponent, in training camp for the Kirk Johnson fight, talking trash about Tyson and declaring his present desire to fight one more superfight down the road. It's completely irrelevant to anything I posted.

-If your referencing your counter article..no you haven't shown otherwise. Well, if you don't believe the Sports Illustrated article that is your business. I've merely presented what was actually being written and reported at the time.

-Lewis reasons for denying Byrd his hard earned title shot he waited a year for were questionable and quite petty and not very Champion like. It was a "duck" if there ever was one, and there's no way around it. I'm not sure how anyone cannot sympathize with Byrd in this situation and ignore the obvious. I've provided two articles that list the same HBO date, yet I continue to see "HBO wouldn't show the fight" claims with no evidence to support such a claim. Nor can they answer why HBO were more than willing to broadcast a less important Holyfield/Byrd in it's place.

-Well I appreciate you refraining from the insults as well.