Probably dull, yet interesting. If Tim shows up lazy, Chris could slap him around for a decision. A motivated Tim trades rounds with Byrd, then drops him a couple times and wins by decision.
I will just say this: I understand those picking Witherpsoon, but Byrd, however you slice it, beat exponentially better fighters.
Not if you had Witherspoon outpointing Holmes, as I did. That version can handle Byrd, certainly. Overall I take your point though.
If we take the absolute best version of both I think Witherspoon wins............... If we take the version that usually showed up in the ring, I think Byrd wins...............because Tim's best vs a number of times that I saw him were night and day.
I don’t know. About the only win Byrd had over a much better opponent than anyone Witherspoon ever beat was Vitali Klitschko. And that win needs to be taken with a grain of salt given that Byrd was behind on the cards and was only declared the winner when Vitali Quit due to the pain he was suffering from a torn rotator cuff. Now to be clear, Byrd deserved credit for the win, but I don’t see how that kind of a fight helps him in a head to head fantasy match.
He also beat David Tua, and Holyfield, albeit a faded one....McLine...Oquendo....Williamson...Ribalta...Purity....Cooper...
Holyfield was a bit more than just “ faded”. He was a throughly shot fighter and also fighting with a tweaked shoulder. Ribalta was so shot he was reduced to journeyman level. Funny you should mention him given that Witherspoon beat a much younger and better Ribalta in 1990. Beating Ross purity was no big accomplishment. The Tua win was good. I never thought much of Mcline or Williamson. Witherspoon beat: Tony Tubbs Greg Page Frank Bruno James Tillis Renaldo Snipes James smith James Broad Jose Ribalta Carl Williams Jose Gonzalez Alfred Cole He was also arguably robbed against Ray Mercer and fought Larry Holmes to a disputed decision. He was ranked in ring magazines top 10 for a combined 11 years.
And I would concede yours. At the time, a lot of people thought Witherspoon won. Subsequently, the narrative had been set that Holmes won a close but decisive victory. A lot of revisionism.
If I was betting money, I'd put it on Byrd. I like Tim Witherspoon, but Byrd is tricky, and Tim could be lackadaisical, Chris had a better work ethic. Byrd by UD. No way is Byrd stopping Tim.
Did Witherspoon ever fight a southpaw? When a fighter fights a southpaw, it is "different." Some can adapt to it, some can't, without seeing TW fight a southpaw there are too many questions. The advantage is that the southpaw fights orthodox fighters all the time, the orthodox fighter doesn't see many southpaws. Especially in the days of TW. CB would come in, in good shape, and he wouldn't be seeing anything new. TW's conditioning would be a question and his ability to handle a southpaw would be another question. I've seen too many orthodox fighters struggle with southpaws to pick a guy to win who has no proven history with southpaws.
