Chris Byrd ... Underrated?

[jabsRstiff]

Just how good was Ike Ibeabuchi?

Ike took on Byrd when Byrd was hot and no one wanted to look foolish against him. Ike went in there, figured him out immediately and sent him into orbit. Ike destroyed him in a way that told me he'd do the same to him every time they fought.

[Miburo]

Didn't really have any business fighting at HW, would have been a great CW, but that's not where the money is. Still gave a good accounting of himself.

[Scott9945]

A six foot tall former MW made a 6'8 SHW quit in front of his home fans. He made Vitali miss and look stupid from round 5 on ward and had Vitali backing off.
Larry Merchant "WOW THIS IS UNREAL, DAVID BACKING GOLIATH UP"

Vitali pretended he didn't speak English in the post fight interview to dodge Merchant's questions, promised a rematch and never fought Byrd again.

I'm sorry I didn't type out all that. I'm sorry I just decided to use the word 'clown' to describe all of the above.

The guy blew out his shoulder and needed surgery. That was why Byrd won. No one needed to see a rematch after Wladimir took Byrd completely apart. It's really that simple.

[TysonBomb]

The guy blew out his shoulder and needed surgery. That was why Byrd won. No one needed to see a rematch after Wladimir took Byrd completely apart. It's really that simple.

Wladimir is not Vitali ... its this tag teaming business that makes people think that if Wlad can beat him then Vitali can too ... sorry but it doesn't work like that.

And Byrd had a BIG part in Vitali blowing out his shoulder ... he over exerted himself trying to tag Byrd cleanly and this contributed greatly to his injury.

I don't think anyone can say that Vitali was easily dominating that fight ... I agree that he had a lead but Byrd was still right there ... even Vitali knew that which is why he was reluctant to ever fight him again and I believe even in the post fight interview he said that the fight was close and he didn't know who was ahead.

Larry Merchant who hates Byrd even commended his performance that night.

[Scott9945]

Wladimir is not Vitali ... its this tag teaming business that makes people think that if Wlad can beat him then Vitali can too ... sorry but it doesn't work like that.

And Byrd had a BIG part in Vitali blowing out his shoulder ... he over exerted himself trying to tag Byrd cleanly and this contributed greatly to his injury.

I don't think anyone can say that Vitali was easily dominating that fight ... I agree that he had a lead but Byrd was still right there ... even Vitali knew that which is why he was reluctant to ever fight him again and I believe even in the post fight interview he said that the fight was close and he didn't know who was ahead.

Larry Merchant who hates Byrd even commended his performance that night.

There was no real demand for a rematch. The first fight wasn't very exciting. If Byrd had even been competitive with Wladimir then it probably would have happened. And while Byrd was hanging in there with Vitali before the injury, most fans regarded it as a fluke. Because you made someone miss punches doesn't give you credit for his injury. It could have happened in any other fight against any other opponent.

And whether it is right or wrong, the Klitschko's basically are a tag team. They are the two dominant heavyweights who won't fight each other and are joint owners of their own promotional company. That's just the reality of the situation.

[Scott9945]

Just how good was Ike Ibeabuchi?

Ike took on Byrd when Byrd was hot and no one wanted to look foolish against him. Ike went in there, figured him out immediately and sent him into orbit. Ike destroyed him in a way that told me he'd do the same to him every time they fought.

I remember Byrd making Ike look pretty bad before he tagged him and took him out. Admittedly I haven't watched that fight in a very long time.

[JAB5239]

[FONT=Arial][I][B]There was no real demand for a rematch. The first fight wasn't very exciting.

I disagree. A rematch in Germany would have been huge. Vits should have enforced an immediate rematch. It's not like he wasn't capable, he fought only a month after Byrd-Wlad.

[jabsRstiff]

I remember Byrd making Ike look pretty bad before he tagged him and took him out. Admittedly I haven't watched that fight in a very long time.

You need to watch it again.

Ike took control from the very start. Yeah, Byrd made him miss a good amount, but Ike was landing on him as the rounds mounted, while Byrd got nothing done.


Easy win for Ike.

[Scott9945]

I disagree. A rematch in Germany would have been huge. Vits should have enforced an immediate rematch. It's not like he wasn't capable, he fought only a month after Byrd-Wlad.

All Klitschko fights are huge in Germany. It was decided that Wladimir would get the next shot at Byrd (and the WBO title), while Vitali would make his comeback after surgery against a marginal but unbeaten German (Timo Hoffmann). Both fights were sell outs.

I can understand why fans think that Wladimir should have tried harder to get a rematch with Corey Sanders. But you never hear people say that Vitali's resume is lacking due to no Byrd rematch. At least not nearly like the demand for a Lewis rematch.

[JAB5239]

All Klitschko fights are huge in Germany. It was decided that Wladimir would get the next shot at Byrd (and the WBO title), while Vitali would make his comeback after surgery against a marginal but unbeaten German (Timo Hoffmann). Both fights were sell outs.

I can understand why fans think that Wladimir should have tried harder to get a rematch with Corey Sanders. But you never hear people say that Vitali's resume is lacking due to no Byrd rematch. At least not nearly like the demand for a Lewis rematch.

Who decided this and why though? Vit said he wanted to get his title back vto the crowd immediately after the fight. I think if he truly wanted to he would have just asked Wlad not to take the fight and it would have happened. Even without the belt though he could of and should of avenged this fight. As you've said, all Klitschko fights sell out in Germany so money wouldn't have been an issue.