Did Lewis duck Byrd

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007.


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  1. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Did Lewis just decide not to fight Byrd because it was supposedly such an easy fight for him with little upside financially, or was he ducking what potentially was his toughest opponent from a technical standpoint? After all the mess of relinquishing titles for cash and Range Rovers and not fighting mandatories, he decided on the dangerous Kirk Johnson after slamming Byrd and Ruiz who beat Johnson.
    Many say Byrd would just have been outboxed similar to the way Wladmir handled Byrd in the first fight, but others think Lewis' style would make for a vastly different and more difficult fight for Lewis.
     
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
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  2. Thom

    Thom Boxing Addict Full Member

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    :lol:
     
    Thom, Aug 21, 2007
    Thom, Aug 21, 2007
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  3. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    Considering Lewis's age, poor showing against Vitali, and Byrd's slickness, Chris was an extremely dangerous high risk/low reward fight.
     
    cross_trainer, Aug 21, 2007
    cross_trainer, Aug 21, 2007
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  4. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Please elaborate Thom. Would love to hear your perspective on this topic..:p
     
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
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  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I agree.

    I think the short answer would be "yes". I think he ducked Byrd.
     
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
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  6. Drexl

    Drexl Your Hero Full Member

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    No.

    Next question.
     
    Drexl, Aug 21, 2007
    Drexl, Aug 21, 2007
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  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I've heard you say this before, what's your source?

    I certainly agree that Byrd would have made Lewis look bad. I also think that Lewis could beat Byrd but he would have to break with his "natural" style to do so.
     
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
    #7
  8. lefthook31

    lefthook31 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    You didnt sense the sarcastic undertone in that sentence??:smoke
     
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
    lefthook31, Aug 21, 2007
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  9. Illmatic

    Illmatic Boxing Addict Full Member

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    no, but he blatantly ducked John Ruiz after their infamous sparring incident
     
    Illmatic, Aug 21, 2007
    Illmatic, Aug 21, 2007
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  10. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Tell us why? I'd like to hear a little more.
     
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
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  11. achillesthegreat

    achillesthegreat FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Full Member

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    Seriously, what is there to duck?

    Lewis didn't care about the IBF belt as his future was set. Him and Tyson were going to have a rematch.

    By this stage Lewis was sick of fighting Don King fighters who were continously his mandatories.
     
    achillesthegreat, Aug 21, 2007
    achillesthegreat, Aug 21, 2007
    #11
  12. Brighton bomber

    Brighton bomber Loyal Member Full Member

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    :patsch Oh dear some people have clearly never seen Wlad/Byrd. Lewis was a technical nightmare for Byrd not the other way round. Byrd would have been out jabbed all night long, and he lacked the power to ever be a threat to Lewis, in any way shape or form.

    Very few people were demanding to see Lewis fight Byrd which is why the fight never happened.
     
    Brighton bomber, Aug 21, 2007
    Brighton bomber, Aug 21, 2007
    #12
  13. achillesthegreat

    achillesthegreat FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Full Member

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    When was this? How can Steward say Byrd would decision Lewis but then say he thinks Lewis can beat the likes of Ali and Holmes.
     
    achillesthegreat, Aug 21, 2007
    achillesthegreat, Aug 21, 2007
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  14. SevenSamurai

    SevenSamurai 3 year ESB vet. Full Member

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    I seem to remember Wlad Klitschko making Chris Byrd his ***** twice. The second time Wlad gave him brain damage he hit him so often with flush power shots- Byrd was finished after that second beating...it was very brutal.
     
    SevenSamurai, Aug 21, 2007
    SevenSamurai, Aug 21, 2007
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  15. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Yeah, this is it. There are loads of reasons for Lewis not to take the fight, the King thing would not have been the least amongst them. But why should that impact on Byrd and his chances? My position is not that Byrd would have beaten Lewis but that it would have been an awkward day for him, one that would hurt him at the box office (potentiolly) in the US, there wasn't a lot of money in it perhaps, etc, etc.

    But if one fighter fails to fight another fighter who for reasons other than "he doesn't deserve the shot", it's a type of duck as far as I can see.
     
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
    McGrain, Aug 21, 2007
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