Chris Byrd's marketability...

[Guest]

... I feel sorry for this poor guy, because he's pretty much that least-sellable commodity in boxing: the heavyweight without any pop.

I intensely admire (maybe put a "d" on that as he's clearly deteriorating as a boxer at top level these days) his skills, but how much more would he be regarded if he could ****?

I always think he's good for purists if he was put on a boxing card with some high-octane boxers for contrast, but as a spectacle you know what you're going to get every time: unless he loses, a points win over twelve rounds.

I know it's somewhat frowned up these days to crave a KO, but it has to be acknowledged that the knock is an important element of boxing's appeal - especially with the layman, and especially at heavyweight.

So, it's perhaps an incredibly old question, but... If Byrd could ****, how much more would you like him?

[Manny_P]

Chris Byrd should ****in fight in strip clubs cuz no one at the right Arenas would want him.

[jabsRstiff]

... I feel sorry for this poor guy, because he's pretty much that least-sellable commodity in boxing: the heavyweight without any pop.

I intensely admire (maybe put a "d" on that as he's clearly deteriorating as a boxer at top level these days) his skills, but how much more would he be regarded if he could ****?

I always think he's good for purists if he was put on a boxing card with some high-octane boxers for contrast, but as a spectacle you know what you're going to get every time: unless he loses, a points win over twelve rounds.

I know it's somewhat frowned up these days to crave a KO, but it has to be acknowledged that the knock is an important element of boxing's appeal - especially with the layman, and especially at heavyweight.

So, it's perhaps an incredibly old question, but... If Byrd could ****, how much more would you like him?

Anorak.....

What if George Foreman was really fast ? Or a southpaw ?
Would he be the greatest heavyweight of all time ?
Silly question, lime-o.

If Chris Byrd could punch, he wouldn't be who he is. No one would feel the need to defend his supposed brilliance, because he'd automatically have more appeal.

[Mr. Ryan]

You know, hes got a point. Byrd would be a much more sellable commodity if he had the hammer, but he doesn't. But I have a better idea to make him more sellable. Stop barely escaping with gift decisions to nobodies! Its not really his fault I guess, because all he fights is nobodies.

Check this, his last real tough opponents were the Klitschko's. He gets beaten up by Vitali all night, until Vitali quits on his stool with an injury. Then Byrd has the balls to say that boxing is a hurt sport and brags he stopped Klitschko. Of course, the press hurt his as well because Klitschko is not an American fighter. Lets keep it real. Its hard for the American press to get behind a fighter who comes from behind the Iron Curtain, even some 17 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Byrd has never entertained the idea of fighting Vitali again.

His next move was a fight with younger Wladmir Klitschko, and this fight was never really close. We all wondered for years why Byrd never got the attention of the public, why Byrd was never seen as The Great American Hope. And on that night, we all found out. After being dropped 2 times by the younger Klitschko and losing a lopsided decision, he derided the German fans and claimed that the gloves were tampered with. Very classy .

After beating on an Evander Holyfield with an AARP card for the vacant IBF title, he barely escapes with his life against a very mediocre Fres Oquendo. He then brags about getting of the canvas against Jameel McCline, perhaps the most ridiculously overhyped big guy since Primo Carnera. Or Shannon Briggs or Michael Grant, I dunno. Then he waltzes with Davarryl Williamson and puts coke addict **********s to sleep with his inactivity.

Amazingly, he fits all this action into a one fight a year schedule. Any questions?

[Easy-E]

Anorak.....

What if George Foreman was really fast ? Or a southpaw ?
Would he be the greatest heavyweight of all time ?
Silly question, lime-o.

If Chris Byrd could punch, he wouldn't be who he is. No one would feel the need to defend his supposed brilliance, because he'd automatically have more appeal.

but foreman was already and exciting and extremly marketable fighter. byrd is not.

[jabsRstiff]

but foreman was already and exciting and extremly marketable fighter. byrd is not.

I didn't say it would have made Foreman more marketable....I asked if having those VERY HUGE traits he DID NOT HAVE...would make him the greatest heavy ever.

"If Chris Byrd had power?".......he wouldn't be Chris Byrd.
If he had power, he probably would have been KO'd more than he has been. With power, he'd take more chances.

[Easy-E]

I didn't say it would have made Foreman more marketable....I asked if having those VERY HUGE traits he DID NOT HAVE...would make him the greatest heavy ever.

"If Chris Byrd had power?".......he wouldn't be Chris Byrd.
If he had power, he probably would have been KO'd more than he has been. With power, he'd take more chances.

anorak was asking how much more marketable he would be. obviously, he would be much more marketable and have a big following

[DiegoFuego]

Ike Ibeabuchi seemed to me the only heavyweight who had everything from skill to chin to speed to heart. Almost everyone is lacking in some department or other; God's way of evening the playing field. For example, Toney and Byrd have everything but KO power. Wladimir has everything but a good chin. Brewster and Tua have everything but skill. Lewis had it all but a great chin (though he made up for it with good D). Ike had EVERYTHING, which is why he would have been the best. Too bad about what happened.

[jabsRstiff]

anorak was asking how much more marketable he would be. obviously, he would be much more marketable and have a big following

yeah...I know what Anorak asked !

I'm trying to show it's kind of pointless to ask how a fighter would be if they possessed a very significant trait they didn't.

Question-

If Mike Tyson couldn't punch, would he have been as popular/marketable as he was ?

[DiegoFuego]

Well, Wlad is just as marketable without a chin as he is with one. I know I tune in to see him get knocked down. A Wlad fight guarantees a knockout.