By John Hively
Like any true warrior, Chris Byrd went out on his shield when he was pulverized by Waldimir Klitschko on Saturday, April 22nd.
No too many people expected Byrd to successful defend his heavyweight title against Klitschko. It’s even possible that Chris had his doubts about his abilities to defeat the giant Ukrainian, especially since he had absorbed a tremendous beating from this same man six years ago. For Saturday’s bout, Byrd’s plan of battle was to attack his opponent aggressively, and hope that Wlad tired down the stretch, thereby allowing the champ to come on strong and possibly win the fight.
However, this tactic wasn’t much of a battle plan, as much as an act of desperation. A light hitter like Byrd aggressively attacking a much more powerful puncher who is also a fundamentally sound boxer, and who also happens to have every physical advantage, is like a tug boat engaging in battle with a fully armed destroyer.
The plan appeared to work in the first round, which Byrd may have won, but the second through the fourth found the champion falling behind. The champ held his guard high, and he was lucky indeed that Wald never seemed interested in going to his wide open body. Perhaps that’s because Klitschko’s fast jabs and powerful straight rights increasingly threaded through his guard with lightning quickness more and more as the fight went on. Chris tried an occasional jab, and did land some clean body shots, but he might as well have been hitting an oak tree. Despite numerous trips to the canvas during his career, nobody has ever put Waldimir down with a jab or a body shot, but Byrd never stopped trying.
Klitschko floored the champ with a beautiful straight right in the fifth round. Chris was hurt and went into a defensive shell. Wald threw punch after punch at his opponent, some appeared to land, but most probably did not.
The challenger looked somewhat winded at the beginning of the sixth round. The champs plan might have worked at his point, except that Byrd looked to be in far worse shape than his opponent. Blood oozed from his nose, his face was a mass of puffiness. Byrd’s legs were close to being lifeless, and his ability to move his head and body were largely gone. The champ was greatly weakened, his title was sliding rapidly away, and he must have known it.
Byrd survived the sixth, but he took several straight right hands and numerous jabs. He had hardly any strength left to retaliate against his tormentor or avoid his punches, but like any true warrior Byrd still tried to return fire.
Wlad put Byrd down again in the seventh with another right hand, but the defenseless champ still struggled to his feet. His face battered and with blood now pouring down his cheeks, Byrd was an easy prey for his opponent, but he was still resolute, ready to charge once more into the rapid fire artillery of the unmarked predator.
The referee, however, had seen enough. He mercifully stopped the slaughter and saved the now former champ from possible permanent injury.
At six foot one inches and 211 pounds, Chris was not very large for a modern heavyweight, but he was a slick boxer who made his opponents miss with the greatest of ease. His foes usually felt great frustration with their failure to plant their potent bombs on their elusive foe. The champ was never a big hitter like Klitschko or David Tua, but he hit hard enough that you didn’t want to sample too many of his punches.
Byrd should be remembered as one of the finest heavyweights of the past seven years. He defeated such formidable contenders as Evander Holyfield, David Tua, and Vitali Klitschko, but he could never get by Waldimir. Some times there’s just one guy who has your number, and then sometimes your number is up, and when that happens, it’s time to pack your bags and call it a day.
At 35 years old, Byrd has been a heavyweight titlist. Sure he may have some fight left in him, and yeah he probably can still make someone like Samuel Peter look like a novice in the ring, but Byrd's already been to the top of boxing’s biggest mountain. Now he is sliding down the other side of the hill. Chris is a highly intelligent man, and perhaps it’s time for him to put the warrior on the shelf and enjoy retirement with his family.
