Thoughts on Chris Byrd........

Getting blasted out early by a prime Tyson... Gee that never happened to anyone.. Can you think of a better example to make a comparison with, like starting with a scenario that ACTUALLY happened? We know for a fact that Byrd hung in their with some of the biggest and strongest heavyweights of all time, and took some of their best shots.. Who did Tyrell hang in there with?

 

Its a different kind of fight though. Power wouldnt even be in the scenario here, it would be speed and boxing ability. Thats just it with Byrd, he had such an advantage over the bigger guys he beat, he could clown them all night long with his speed and not really take a solid shot. A guy like Biggs who was mobile had decent handspeed and reach would offset all that and make it more of a tactical match, and we saw how that played out against the Klitschkos, and I think Biggs probably had comparable handspeed and reach to the Klitschkos. He wouldnt be forced to fight like Tyson made him do to take away his reach.

 

Tubbs was was very incosistent actually....Byrd would beat him in my opinion.....Biggs and Page too.....

 

Picking bad versions of Tubbs & Page is not fair, Peak-for-Peak they both take Byrd to school. :deal

 

Well, It´s a controversial opinion, I know.......But Page never had a prime in my opinion, he had losses in every stage of his career............There is no shame in the Ike and Wlad losses

 

Chris Byrd is a lock for top 20 all time HW , CW , LHW and P4P .
I could understand if someone put him in his top 10.
People underestimate the importance of lasting the distance against much bigger men of decent or above quality , they consider it obvious although very few if any of their all time favorites/ranked fighters could do it.
Face it : Ali , Holmes , Foreman , Robinson , Monzon , Louis , Salvador Sanchez , Chavez , Arguello and many more never had to face this scenario .
Actually all of the above (except Sanchez and Chavez) were embarrassed by significantly smaller men during or close to their prime .

 

I'm not so sure he does not do very very well against those 80's guys. The one style of fighter they never faced was a slickster southpaw. I think it causes huge problems and lots of those guys never did have much of adapt to different styles during a fight toolset. It was a case of do 1 thing 1 way and fight til the bell rings.

I think the Byrdman and his ring IQ & upper body movement make those guys miss lots and lots of punches and drains their gastanks.

 

80s Mike Tyson's opponents beat everyone in history...

Not sure what this has to do with Chris Byrd but there you have it.

Here's something to consider:

Chris Byrd\Lennox Lewis: Wins over Ring Ranked Opponents

Vitali Klistchko\ Vitali Klistchko
Evander Holyfield\Evander Holyfield
David Tua\ David Tua
Fres Oquendo\ Hasim Rahman
Jamel McCline\ Michael Grant

X Factor? Mike Tyson

Losses:
Wladimir Klistchko\Hasim Rahman
Ike Ibeabuchi

Draws:
Andrew Golota\Evander Holyfield


Though not nearly as impressive in most instances, on paper at least, Byrd's resume stacks up pretty well against a peer All Time Great's title reign.

 

He fought a horrible version of Holyfield. The 90s fighters for the most part sucked. He lost to just about all worth a crap. It doesnt stack up at all, only that he fought them. I cant compare the same Klitschko outcomes nor Holyfield.

 

-Pretty much the same plodding physcial Evander who fought Lewis, split wins with Ruiz, and certainly the same one who was embarressing Rahman long before the headbutt of death. Byrd made him look that bad. Evander himself admited before the fight, he waited until he had no choice but to fight Byrd because he knew he was going to make him look bad.

I know you already don't think too highly of Lewis, but many do. For those that do think highly of Lewis and his reign, they might want to reconsider Byrd as he came close to matching his accomplishments during that timeframe.

 

Aside from the fact you missed a good few of Lennox's best wins you have to put those wins into context, ie Byrd was facing past it versions, the Vitali win was a fluke and Byrd got some wins that perhaps should have gone the other way, Golota, Oquendo (everyone called that a robbery), and maybe the McCline win where he did little

Byrd had some skills but generally I'd rate him as B Class

 

atsch :-(

 

No. patsch

Old Evander was very good in the Lewis rematch, but a shot fighter after that.

 

This has all been addressed in my post. Unless you think Botha deserves to be considered one of Lewis' best win during this time.

 

-My how convienant. He was shot in every fight but that one.

-Lewis engaged Holyfield more in the rematch and was less consistent from round to round, but ultimately controlled enough to win a clear decision. Oddly a closer fight than the draw.