Comments Thread For: Chris Byrd: Deontay Wilder is Still a Work in Progress

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas - Former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd faced many of the best and most recognizable heavyweight names in the last twenty years - including Wladimir Klitschko (twice), Vitali Klitschko David Tua, Ike Ibeabuchi, Evander Holyfield, Alexander Povetkin and many, many others.

Now working as a trainer, Byrd sits back and examines the current heavyweight landscape.

The United States finally has a world champion, with Olympic bronze medal winner Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) capturing the WBC championship with a twelve round decision over Bermane Stiverne in January. Wilder returned last month in his home state of Alabama, where he retained his title with a tougher than expected knockout of Eric Molina.
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[Weltschmerz]

Povetkin should test him...

[Lou Cipher]

Peontay WildTurd couldnt even KO that 0-1 welterweight stalker in LA. Theres probably 100 active heavyweights who can beat him. I'd make Holyfield a 2-1 favorite in December with no warm up fight.

[Slowhand]

Byrd was the slickest defensive HW I ever saw, heŽd probably still school The Windmill.

[Teetotaler]

Work in progress? Isn't he already in his 30's? Its not like he's gonna fight much. He can't keep avoiding the good fighters in his division

[Tobi.G]

Byrd was the slickest defensive HW I ever saw, heŽd probably still school The Windmill.

A prime Byrd would be the second-best heavyweight today and even Wlad would have big problems with this quick slick Rick.

[PunchyPotorff]

Byrd had alotta skills and he's passing them on which is great, but this idea Wilder is gonna make all these improvements is hogwash. The guy headlines a card near his hometown, fans going bonkers with his every move, and he gets so ego driven happy with himself he basically forgets what little he should have learned up to that point. If you get on the feking big stage and forget how to do your gig, how does anyone expect the dolt to do well on the huge world stage vs Wlad or even Povetkin? He will not get past Povetkin to even get to Wlad... who would annihilate him in short order. Nor would he beat Joshua, Browne, Martin, Fury, Jenkins, etc etc. He has a glitch in his dome keeping him from remembering basic boxing fundamentals. So IOW he's religated to only the b level guys. He could beat most of them doing title defenses in Bham for the remainder of his career... but it's doubtful the WBC would allow it for very much longer.

[AddiX]

I can't think of a fighter off the top of my head that has been under development for as long as wilder has.