Moorer was a very good LHW but he was a bit untested as a LHW as well. He won the WBO title at LHW in just his 12th pro bout. He had turned pro just 9 months prior. He beat Ramzi Hassan (KO5) and became the first WBO LHW Champ. Hassan had lost a decision to a prime Virgil Hill 6 months prior for Hill's WBA title. Moorer made 9 title defenses and 1 non-title defense before moving up to HW. Among others he beat Frankie Swindell KO6 and Leslie Stewart KO8 (his toughest fight at LHW). He went 22-0 (22) as a LHW. At HW he won his first 6 bouts (4 by KO) before winning the vacant WBO HW title. Mike White and Everett Martin went the distance. White was dropped, beat around the ring, and almost stopped. Martin actually dropped Moorer but lost a lopsided decision. Moorer stopped a very determined Bert Cooper (KO5) to win the WBO title. Moorer was down twice. Moorer vacated the title and won his next 5 bouts (3 by KO) before winning the Lineal HW title (WBA/IBF belts). He had beat Bonecrusher Smith W10, Frankie Swindell KO3, James Pritchard KO3, and Mike Evans W10 among others. He was now 12-0 (8KO) as a HW and 34-0 (30) overall. He won a majority-decision vs. Evander Holyfield for the Lineal HW title. Moorer was dropped in the fight. Moorer lost the title in his first defense vs. George Foreman (LKOby10). Moorer was well ahead in the fight at the time of the stoppage. Moorer easily outboxed Melvin Foster in his next fight (W10). Moorer won the vacant IBF HW title by beating Axel Schulz by split-decision. He made 2 defenses before losing the title to Holyfield in their rematch (8th round KO). He had beat Frans Botha (KO12) and Vaughan Bean (WMD12.) After losing to Holyfield he was 39-2 (32) overall and 15-2 (13) in World Title fights. He was dropped 5 times vs. Holyfield (and once in their first fight) but he showed heart, kept getting up, and was fighting well. Moorer was definately on the downhill slide after the loss to Holyfield. He went 13-2-1 (9) in his last 16 fights. He lost to David Tua (LKOby1, 30 seconds) and Eliseo Castillo (L10). The draw was a TD after 5 rounds vs. Dale Crowe (headbutt/cut to Crowe's eye ). He beat Terrence Lewis KO2, Robert Davis W10, Otis Tisdale W10, Vassiliy Jirov KO9, and Cliff Couser KO1 among others. He retired at 52-4-1 (40) overall and 15-2 (13) at World Title fights at LHW and HW (counting WBO title fights)... he was a true HW World Champ!
Chris byrd is better than mm imo. He has a better resume, achieved more and would take a points victory. I think byrd counters him all night long and takes an 8-4 type victory.
Moorer would win, he has the better jab, which is important in the battle of 2 southpaws, he is the much better puncher and has the power to bully and even KO Byrd. Both are quick, both have good defences. Byrd maybe quicker but Moorer can walk him down and unlike the unskilled fighters Byrd could make miss, he'd be good enough to land cleanly on Byrd Byrd didn't really do well against technical boxers in Oquendo or even the old Golota, not to mention Wlad but that's an unfair comparison here
Wlad (pre-Stewart, aggressive version) couldn't KO Byrd despite landing on him much more than Moorer would do. Don't get me wrong, Moorer still had decent power at HW, but I would rate Byrd's chin higher. I can agree that they had good defence - but only on average. Byrd had superb defence, and Moorer only average IMHO. His fights with Cooper, Holy II (and even I when Holy had energy to do something) and a couple of others are not examples of good defence. Byrd had most problems with taller boxers who used their size advantage like both Klitschkos or Golota you mentioned. This doesn't sound like Moorer. Oquendo was different problem, but stylewise he is not similar to Moorer either. If anything could be a problem for Byrd, it could be Moorer stance (somehow I feel Byrd would have more problems fighting another southpaw than Moorer). Still, I think Byrd wins this one.
The problem with the comparison is Byrd didn't really facing any decent type of decent technical boxers who'd give him a thinking match Oquendo and Wlad aside, making comparisons difficult. Moorer didn't face southpaw technicians either, but his outboxing of a good version of Holyfield is better than anything Byrd did in my view. His Schulz win is pretty underrated too. Byrd's win over Vitali is impressive, as is his Tua win. The Holyfield win is overrated though, Holyfield was old and obviously injured early Agreed that Moorer's defence was at times found wanting when he stayed in the pocket against punchers but Byrd doesn't have anything he really needs to worry about, he can walk Byrd down and force exchanges and his speed would see him doing this allot easier than the big slower types Byrd was used to fighting Byrd is a good defensive fighter but Oquendo, Ibeabuchi, Wlad and Golota him without too much trouble and he didn't look particularly good against McCline, that one seemed a close call from my recollection Another point I'd make is Moorer was much better against smaller men because of his speed and power
Byrd soundly outboxed southpaw Castillo in a match up between undefeated prospects. I think Byrd edges a close controversial decision, Moorer had a good jab and power but was one dimensional, I could see Byrd staying close and frustrating him but not doing enough to steal rounds convincingly.
I'd favor Moorer. Byrd didn't generally look as good against guys that were solid technical fighters themselves....I think Moorer would land the more meaningful blows to take it on the cards.
