Coincidence That Vitali Quit Right After Byrd Bashed Him Up, Clowned and Rocked Him?

What a moment for Chris! It's too bad this wasn't the undisputed hw championship of the world, instead it was for an alphabet title which DID him well, however the notoriety just wasn't there. Him and Tracy were the only ones celebrating his win!! I'm pretty sure missing all those shots played a part in injuring Vitalis shoulder rotator cuff. He said after something in round 3 hurt him. I agree with the op that Byrd was starting to bring the fight to him, taking control up until the stoppage.

 

Vitali is a level above bum Byrd lmao.

 

Slow lethargic bunch of stiff bums the pair of them. Ugly to watch

 

Boy did Vitali look awful. Even before his injury. There are literally dozens of heavyweights who would have decimated Vatali on that night. Vitali is big and strong, but, predictable and slow. And, his power is grossly overrated, as well. He hit Byrd with a few clean head shots that no effect on Bryrd, whatsoever. When Wlad fought Bryrd, he had him bouncing off the canvas like a basketball. This fight is crucial to an objective evaluation of Vitali as a fighter.

 

RIGHT! And this is the guy some people think would have beaten Joe Frazier? Ha,ha,ha....

 

I didn't see Byrd hurt Vitali at all, pushed and slapped some shots. Maybe there was a decent uppercut there. But he took some heavy shots for all that trouble. Vitali was getting the better of it.
If you want to see Vitali rocked, it's the early part of the Sanders fight.

But this footage does remind us how excruciating it is watching Vitali fight. At least Wlad often gave a highlight KO at the end.

 

come on he wasnt rocked.. but props to Byrd for this win.. yes vitali was injured but maybe it was down to Byrds skill & defense .. making him hyperextend on his shots so much causing the guy muscle injury.. Byrd is underrated

 

Joe Frazier would lose to most modern top heavyweights with good power.

 

Byrd won fair and square, and deserves 100% credit. Anyone who says otherwise is fanboy and water boy for Vitali.

 

Sure,sure, you mean those modern heavyweights like Andy Ruiz and Joshua?

 

I remember that fight, thinking who the heck is that big dude.. That was my first time watching Vitali and Byrd did his thing. He would have lost if they fought again, he didn't have the pop to beat those bigger guys without a crutch.

 

As i've always said this fight was very competitive, and not quite the fluke win myth that has been thrown around for years. Byrd was able to parry Vitali's jab all night basically nullifying it for the most part, he had the bigger man backing up at times, and i truly believe Byrd's amazing defense caused the injury like Byrd to Holyfield.

Byrd was also a late replacement and giving up a ridiculous amount of height, reach, weight disadvantages. I think Byrd deserves more credit for this performance.

Just a final point the punchstats for almost identical aswell which shows the fight was very competitive.

 

Vitali was cracking Byrd left and right before the stoppage

 

No he wasn't that's a false narrative a myth that people have created over the years. 8 punches separated them at the time of the stoppage 132 punches to 124. Hardly "cracking Byrd left and right" when Byrd was never hurt once in the entire fight.