Rocky Marciano vs Chris Byrd

Chris Byrd was actually a powerful puncher, he just couldn't find the right opponent to demonstrate it against.

 

Marciano won the Lineal Title, he became the mandatory contender and the Champion fought him and lost.

Chris Byrd never won the Lineal Title, he became the mandatory contender to the Champion, who postponed their fight for a year and than declared he would never fight him.

 

Chris Byrd was really a Middleweight, he just happened to weigh over 200 pounds most of his career.

Marciano was a Heavyweight, he just happened to weigh the equivalent of a modern Light Heavy.

Size matters, sometimes, or not at all.

 

I agree if your presuming Byrd gets stopped like Lastarza did then?

I presume we are talking of championship Marciano rather than prospect Marciano?

 

Had Ibeabuchi fought a Byrd type fighter and done well against one before fighting Byrd?:huh

 

I find this odd. The two best boxers he faced, all be it past their best, couldn't beat Rocky, surely we use that as a measuring stick. Well only if you firmly believe both the, fighters had atleast one great performance left in them, which I do. This is a good matchup though, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this one

 

I dont think Anthony Joshua has yet done as much as Ibeabuchi did but it's no less hasty making comparisons yet for Joshua as a great fighter as it is Ibeabuchi and many would rightly say it's too early for that for Anthony.

If Joshua went to jail now and never fought again it would be rediculous making comparisons for him.

One of the prerequisites for greatness is actually beating a great fighter or at least beating the best fighter in the division. That's the very least.

Ibeabuchi does not qualify. He never did that.

 

I always presume prime for prime.
I also see Chris Byrd as being a whole level above Lastarza both in skills and in physically stature.
Can you envisage a prime Byrd being beaten and floored by journeyman Rocky Jones?

 

This is a nonsense post.

 

The only man to beat Byrd prior to beating Byrd was Wlad. Beating Byrd before facing Byrd could be telling of your chances.

 

It seems to be a recurring theme with him.

 

No one ever said Ibebuchi was great.

And if you believe that just because Ibebuchi doesn't have the 'great' label applied to him he wont give the greats problems, then your a fool.

 

Sorry guys I posted it on the wrong thread!

 

Byrd was a half decent spoiler enhanced with some artificial weight. History has not yet been rewritten to include him above the guys Marciano beat. And that's really the truth of it.

Yes Bryd was a skilful and a southpaw, he would be tricky for anybody. I give him that. But Byrd is no real threat to greatness AT ALL.

 

I'm not one to jump all over the idea that Ike Ibeabuchi would have steam rolled certain all time greats.. But for as short of a career as he had, it commanded some respect. Chris Byrd and David Tua were both solid top contenders in their primes - one of whom would briefly ascend to being the best heavy in the world for a short period. Ike took it to both of those guys and won convincingly, handing them their first defeats.. Nobody ever dispatched Chris Byrd in five rounds again and few people ever looked as impressive in outpointing Tua. Like so many other hot prospects, Ike ran into his fair share of personal problems outside the ring, eventually leading to a long term jail sentence. But he survived his only 20 pro bouts and meetings with two solid contenders with out a single defeat.. I've also heard some horror stories about sparring sessions in the gym with him. Again, his tenure was too short to make any solid assessments about Ike and the greats.. But he did enough to convince me that he'd be a force to be reckoned with.. Hell some champions struggled or even lost to men with less substance.