Who was the best American Heavyweight Champion 2000-2025?

[MalevolentBite]

Do yall think Chris Byrd could had beaten AJ?

[QueensburyRules]

Do yall think Chris Byrd could had beaten AJ?

- - Woulda ducked AJ. Byrd was a here today gone tomorrow zephyr reliant on DKing.

[MalevolentBite]

- - Woulda ducked AJ. Byrd was a here today gone tomorrow zephyr reliant on DKing.

Ok. If they would had fought. Do you think Chris would win ? Chris would definitely beaten Wilder. Idk about Fury.

[MalevolentBite]

Depends on what you are ranking by. Byrd's top wins this century are better than Wilder's: Prime Tua, aged Holyfield, and Vitali (even if that win is kinda dubious). Based on that, then yeah he has probably gotta be #1 over the past 25 years.

But I am openly biased in favor of Wilder, as he was basically the only thing keeping the US heavyweight scene alive over the past decade. And if I had to pick one of them to win in their prime head to head, I'd lean towards the Bomber. So it depends on what you are looking at. I imagine you are looking at those top wins, and in that case I got no problem with it.

I think RJJ has to be at the bottom of the list if you are basing on resume though. He just had that one fight (well he didn't make weight at Cruiser when he was old later in his career if you want to count that as heavy). But he just doesnt have a heavyweight resume to be ranked higher than the others- and RJJ was my fav in the 90s

Following up. No. I think Byrd vs Wilder would be like Wilder vs Fury 1. Byrd too slick and Tua was just as dangerous and limited as Wilder.

[BKM-]

Do yall think Chris Byrd could had beaten AJ?

Good matchup. I would favor Byrd even though if AJ gets his shot through he would KO Byrd.

I think Byrd would just give him trouble with all the angles and upperbody movement. The more you make AJ think in the ring, the more he gets confused, robotic and prone to get picked apart. I don't think he could do what Wlad did against Byrd. Something would have to get through like Ibeabuchi did.

Byrd is no whimp either, he has been in there with some seriously powerful and large punchers and he is not phased by that for the most part.

[MalevolentBite]

Good matchup. I would favor Byrd even though if AJ gets his shot through he would KO Byrd.

I think Byrd would just give him trouble with all the angles and upperbody movement. The more you make AJ think in the ring, the more he gets confused, robotic and prone to get picked apart. I don't think he could do what Wlad did against Byrd. Something would have to get through like Ibeabuchi did.

Byrd is no whimp either, he has been in there with some seriously powerful and large punchers and he is not phased by that for the most part.

Facts ^^^^ I agree.

[QueensburyRules]

Ok. If they would had fought. Do you think Chris would win ? Chris would definitely beaten Wilder. Idk about Fury.

- - Depends on which Blubber shows up. In general, bad matchup for Byrd who could've been a great cruiser, but no matter, DKing was a lead weight for his career.

[DeeMoney]

Following up. No. I think Byrd vs Wilder would be like Wilder vs Fury 1. Byrd too slick and Tua was just as dangerous and limited as Wilder.

I could see that, but remember Fury Wilder one ended with a near miraculous recovery from a KD on Fury's part. Something being like Wilder Fury I in my mind means that Wilder's opponent outboxes him before being KO'd, as I don't think many men get up from that.

[MalevolentBite]

I could see that, but remember Fury Wilder one ended with a near miraculous recovery from a KD on Fury's part. Something being like Wilder Fury I in my mind means that Wilder's opponent outboxes him before being KO'd, as I don't think many men get up from that.

That's true. If there was a different referee that night. Wilder would had been lineal champion. He was robbed. 99% of all refs would had waived off Fury.

However Fury is a bigger target than Byrd. I think Byrd would still be harder to catch.

[DeeMoney]

That's true. If there was a different referee that night. Wilder would had been lineal champion. He was robbed. 99% of all refs would had waived off Fury.

However Fury is a bigger target than Byrd. I think Byrd would still be harder to catch.

Yeah I get that. Byrd is a better boxer, Wilder is just literally that wildcard fighter who was a devastating right hand. He has roughly the same shot at beating a great fighter as he does just an average one (the ability to land that one shot).