Chris Byrd vs David Tua - A close, underrated top contender fight

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ForemanJab, May 22, 2017.


  1. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Very good fight and not anywhere close to the one sided drubbing that many who probably never watched the fight seem to claim.

    This was without question the best, sharpest and most elusive version of Byrd in the ring. He would’ve given any HW in the world at the time a hell of a fight. He also learned from the Ike fight to not stay on the ropes.

    Tua also came into the fight in great shape, much improved from the Lewis fight. He used a more steady 2 fisted attack than I can recall seeing from him.


    I scored rounds 1,3,4,6,11,12 for Tua and 2,5,7,8,9,10 for Byrd


    Referee Jay Nady was unfairly on Tua’s case for most of the fight, he kept warning Tua for landing perfectly legal body punches.

    Early on Tua was effective going to work on Byrd’s ribcage and landing some good hooks with Byrd on the ropes. Byrd turned it around midway through the fight beating Tua to the punch and outlanding him by a significant margin, esp the 8th round. Very rare to see Byrd being that aggressive. Tua clearly won the last 2 rounds as Byrd took them off mostly just defending while Tua came on strong.

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    ForemanJab, May 22, 2017
    ForemanJab, May 22, 2017
    #1
    robert ungurean likes this.
  2. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    It was a close, good fight and probably Byrd's best win without controversy. I'm not sue why people think Tua lost badly.
     
    NoNeck, May 22, 2017
    NoNeck, May 22, 2017
    #2
  3. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    From memory, Byrd won by a few rounds. In one of the mid rounds he hit Tua solid, and Tua backed away from engagement!

    Too just could not box and had limited range.
     
    Mendoza, May 22, 2017
    Mendoza, May 22, 2017
    #3
    Big Ukrainian likes this.
  4. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    That was the 8th, Byrd's best and most active round of the fight. Byrd by 3+ rounds is a stretch, imo Tua could be given no less than 4 rounds in the fight and that's if you scored every close round to Byrd. 7-5 is more reasonable.
     
    ForemanJab, May 22, 2017
    ForemanJab, May 22, 2017
    #4
  5. zadfrak

    zadfrak Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I loved the fight. Brains over brawn.
    That was at a time when there was lots of Tua love and nobody liked the Byrdman. I got in at 7-1. And man, did folks jump off the Tuaman bandwagon after that loss.
     
    zadfrak, May 22, 2017
    zadfrak, May 22, 2017
    #5
  6. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

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    I recall Byrd landing a horrific body shot on Tua late in the fight. Legend has it Samoans can't take it to the body that well. I think it's a certain fruit they eat from the island that softens the liver.
     
    Sangria, May 22, 2017
    Sangria, May 22, 2017
    #6
  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Watched it the other day for the first time. Enjoyed it. Both guys put up a good show. They don't seem to produce fights like this now.
     
    Fergy, Jun 6, 2017
    Fergy, Jun 6, 2017
    #7
  8. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    Too many fights Tua just didnt let his hands go enough it was very frustrating.
    He looks so thick and powerful on tv but when I met him at a weight in in AC I couldnt believe how small he seemed then when I saw him in the ring the following night he looked scary as hell. I was near ringside at Barrett fight where Tua got dropped. BTW really nice guy!!
     
    robert ungurean, Jun 6, 2017
    robert ungurean, Jun 6, 2017
    #8
  9. Legend X

    Legend X Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Tua didn't lose by a huge margin but he was so frustrating at times, so easily outboxed unnecessarily.
    Byrd boxed well.
     
    Legend X, Jun 6, 2017
    Legend X, Jun 6, 2017
    #9
    Big Ukrainian likes this.