Chris Byrd vs Wladimir Klitschko

[Uke]

Chris Byrd IMO lacks serious heart. I'm not doubting that he's talented. I'm not saying he isn't a solid professional. I am saying that I feel that he lacks heart.

In this fight, he never really went for broke. After watching Wlad impose his jab and a mean 1-2 combination for nearly every round, I thought Byrd would ATTEMPT to make some adjustments. Its not that I would have been this judgemental had he tried and failed, but he didn't even try. My God, this guy who is pretty much feather-fisted tried to stand toe-to-toe with a guy much, much bigger and stronger than he is.

He used none of his trademark finesse. He just kept at his incredibly lame gameplan. After seeing that it wasn't working after the first 4 rounds, what was he thinking? He could have easily have used his speed and elusiveness to avoid much of the punishment that he took. Klitschko is a Steward trained boxer, which automatically makes him limited, as Steward is thee most overrated trainer in the game. He may have looked good against Byrd, but once he fights against someone who can bring some heavier thunder, he'll respond like Lennox Lewis and jab then clinch. I really wish there were some heavy hitters around still.

If a prime D'Amato trained Tyson or a prime Ike Ibeabuchi were still around, the heavyweight division would have something to talk about. Without that kind of firepower or flashy skill(ala Ali) the heavyweight will stay in limbo. Damn, I'd even settle for David Tua these days.

[whitebelt]

Klitshcko wants to unify titles!
"This is the day of days in my sporting career," said new IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko after his seven round destruction of Chris Byrd Saturday night in Mannheim, Germany. "I am very proud.....the Klitschko Brothers made it again! It doesn't matter if it's one of us or both of us." After 37 months between world champion reigns, Klitschko said he wants to "defend my title and much better, get another one. Let's go for some other belts!" Wladimir's trainer Emanuel Steward said afterward that Klitschko now stands alone at the top of the heavyweight division. "I don't see anyone on the hozizon, even in the amateurs, that's going to beat him," stated Manny. "He can hold this title until he retires."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm disappointed, for sure," said Chris Byrd after the fight. "But, I've still got a lot of boxing in me, I think.....He's 241 pounds of muscle and I'm 212 pounds of bulked-up muscle, not even real muscle. I felt I could go in there and push him around [but] it didn't work out for me." (Photo: Daniel Hiller)
Saturday, April 22 2006

RESULT
Klitschko dethrones Byrd!
By Karl Freitag / Photo: Daniel Hiller

Wladimir Klitschko (46-3, 41 KOs) won the IBF heavyweight title with a seventh round KO of Chris Byrd (39-3-1, 20 KOs) at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Byrd was never in the fight as Wladimir scored knockdowns in rounds five and seven before the bout was mercifully halted by referee Wayne Kelly. It was a battle of jabs in round one with neither fighter doing any damage. The first meaningful punch of the fight came in round two when Klitschko connected with a hard right. Klitschko won round three handily, landing numerous left-right combinations as Byrd's face began to show signs of swelling. Another one-sided round for Klitschko in round four. Klitscho floored Byrd for the first time in round five with a right hand, then pummeled Byrd for the rest of the round. Byrd showed great toughness in weathering the attack, but offered little in the way of return fire. Byrd took more punishment in round six as Klitschko continued his dominance. Klitschko floored Byrd again with a series of rights and lefts in the seventh and when Byrd regained his feet, referee Kelly stopped it :41 into the round. Byrd was bloodied and beaten at the end as Klitschko became a world champion again after a three year drought. (More + photos)
Saturday, April 22 2006

[Uke]

Klistchko unifying the heavyweight division at this point in time will mean nothing. Had he done it when Lewis was around, it might have meant something. Now, it will just mean that he stopped by at a time when nobody was home in the division.

[hEmPY]

LOL
Klitschko owned Byrd
dont tell me shit

Byrd got best heavyweight defence, doesnt matter. Klitschko owned him. And dont underrate Klitschko. He owned Sammy too, whos more heavywheight then anyone here. Lewis is nothin now. Want Klitschko get knocked out bet on Sammy foo.

[Uke]

Originally Posted by hEmPY

LOL
Klitschko owned Byrd
dont tell me shit

Byrd got best heavyweight defence, doesnt matter. Klitschko owned him. And dont underrate Klitschko. He owned Sammy too, whos more heavywheight then anyone here. Lewis is nothin now. Want Klitschko get knocked out bet on Sammy foo.

Hey, if you want to hail Klitschko as some great champion, do it. No one else who matters will agree with you. I know better, and so does every other competent boxing fan. I'll give him credit for beating up Byrd, but Byrd has never been thought of as a big threat anyway.

After being knocked out by journeyman like Ross Purity and Corrie Sanders, and then recently knocked out by Lamon Brewster, Wlad Klitschko is just another HOPE. He's at his crossroads and had better look good against what subpar opposition is left in the heavyweight division.

[hEmPY]

Ross dit it, Sanders dit it. But like his coach said hiz no longer boy from olimpics. Im sure Sammy could knock out both Ross and Sanders at same time. Dont believe in Sammy, u have to wait and hope

LOL

[Uke]

Originally Posted by hEmPY

Ross dit it, Sanders dit it. But like his coach said hiz no longer boy from olimpics. Im sure Sammy could knock out both Ross and Sanders at same time. Dont believe in Sammy, u have to wait and hope

LOL

What? I know you probably don't speak english well, but I don't get the gist of what you're saying.

He got knocked out as a pro 3 times. What are you referring to? He is clearly the lesser fighter of the two brothers. And all it takes is someone with decent power and a willingness to trade to beat him. Sanders gave us a blueprint on how to beat him.

I just don't think he will ever live up to the hype. There is no current heavyweight boxer that if he beat, people would go "Oh wow, he beat so and so". He's expected to beat the guys he's beaten. Any fan could tell you that.

[hEmPY]

dood, u ain listenin

Hiz no longer boy from olimpics
And Sanders ain shit now