Does anyone think Chris Byrd wasted his career?

Just think about it Micheal Moorer was prolly the best LHW ever yet he only gets talked about as a heavywieght. Same thing with Evander and cruiser although those fights are on all the time on ESPN he will always be remembers for his HW career.

he may have been more dominant at lhw, but no one cares nearly as much about lhw as they do about the heavies. he went up and hung with the big boys, and even held a piece of the hw crown. no shame or waste in that imho!

Fighting 25 pounds above where he could make weight? He definately wouldn't have been beaten up by anyone at LHW the way he was against W. Klitschko IMO. Thoughts? Nobody at LHW is going to be able to hurt him after the punishment he's taken from some big, big HWs. I think he could have dominated the CW division for years but he took a chance and did fairly well at HW I must say......

duffgun.....who is that girl in your sig????

what a negative attitude !!!! waste a career ? no way. I think he's smart. There is no way he could keep fighting at heavyweight with Wladimir at the top he did the smart thing ... and he's just made the light heavyweight division interesting ... I definately shouldn't have used the word wasted... My second post (#4 or #5 on the first page) is a better representative of what I wanted this thread to be.

?? made millions as a good HW for what 4 years? Should have stayed at LHW and ruled for 10 years? and made nothing? Do you really have to ask this question? its almost to dumb to answer. actually in kinda pissed off now.....wasted? Hw champion of the world? Am i missing something here? ok im an asshole go ahead and ban me

Byrd is a defensive southpaw with fast hands and excellent skills. Had he fought in the LHW division, he certainly would of been more successful.

He won the heavyweight title, was considered the best heavyweight in the world at one point and made good money at heavyweight so no, I don't think so. I co-sign this. How can you have a wasted career when you win a HW belt, be considered the #1 HW in the world, and have a higher overall rating in Fight Night than Ali?

He won the heavyweight title, was considered the best heavyweight in the world at one point and made good money at heavyweight so no, I don't think so.

Just saw a picture of him looking really lean of fight.......news. He definitely had a speed advantage at HW though, Half of the current HW are just fat anyway.

I think Chris Bird had a really good career. I did not think he would be able to come back after Ibaebuchi knocked his ass silly but he went on to do a lot, i thought he would see that in his sleep for the rest of his life. Also HW usually make a bunch more money then other classes so im sure he is happy with his choices.

Im still skeptical. His speed and reflexes isnt as much of an advantage anymore. I dont see him all of a sudden having good pop either.

Fighting 25 pounds above where he could make weight? He definately wouldn't have been beaten up by anyone at LHW the way he was against W. Klitschko IMO. Thoughts? it is a bit unothodox to go from a heavyweight to a light heavyweight, even though he was once a lightheavy weight as a amateur. i would've expected him to go to cruiserweight. but i think byrd shot himself in the foot by not being active for long periods of time, holding out for bigger named fighters, when they weren't coming, no one really cared about byrd, even if he had a belt. mainly because he was difficult, but he isnt/wasn't a draw. maybe he feels better at lightheavy weight, i'm waiting to see how it all plays out, thats kind of funny that you could say klitschko knocked him down two weight classes................. if he does look good, then he should be a name where people would like to fight byrd as he is in his later stage of his career, a win against byrd would be good for anyone at lightheavy weight.

At 175, his hands were much faster and the fluidity in his combinations were remarkable. I thought he beat Maxim. And consider that it was only Patterson's 14th pro fight while it was former champion Maxim's 105th.

byrd at lhw would have been amazing. im sure he would ave dominated the division with roy jones and a fight between them at their prime would have been a dream fight on those days. he went on heavyweight cos we all know that heavyweight is the top division of boxing on its history, so it was a high risk move going directly to heavyweight but i think he expected a bigger reward if he had succeed. i think he would be more recognized if he had started at light heavy, but what he did on heavyweight was amazing imo and he deserves more recognition.

I very much doubt that Chris Byrd has intercourse with a single female deer, but I suppose I've heard stranger things. i was going for an inside the park home run but there you where in left field.............

Fighting 25 pounds above where he could make weight? He definately wouldn't have been beaten up by anyone at LHW the way he was against W. Klitschko IMO. Thoughts? no, because his best division was probably one of the more ignored divisions until the RJJ and more recently Hopkins moves there.

Once I had the chance to ask Floyd Patterson (on a call in show) whether he regretted not fighting at 175, where he could have been an all time great. He said that he would rather have been a good heavyweight than a great lightheavyweight. Whether he was referring to money or glory is anyone's guess. At 175, his hands were much faster and the fluidity in his combinations were remarkable. I thought he beat Maxim.

I don't think I phrased my opening post very well. I guess what I am asking is twofold. 1. Would Chris Byrd have been good enough at LHW to dominate the division, including beating RJJ? 2. If he could, would he have guaranteed his legacy moreso by doing that than winning a title 25 pounds+ north of where he could have been fighting? Perhaps your twofold question would be more appropriately adressed in reverse order. In any indidual sport guys kill themselves to make the lowest weight possible to give themself a size and power advantage. Instead though he went 25lbs north and still won a belt. While not officially recognized still gives him a legacy he can be proud of. I dont think he could beat roy jones but it would have been a hell of a fight because i dont think jones could have hurt byrd

Fighting 25 pounds above where he could make weight? He definately wouldn't have been beaten up by anyone at LHW the way he was against W. Klitschko IMO. Thoughts? Once I had the chance to ask Floyd Patterson (on a call in show) whether he regretted not fighting at 175, where he could have been an all time great. He said that he would rather have been a good heavyweight than a great lightheavyweight. Whether he was referring to money or glory is anyone's guess.