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It’s a chance to avenge a loss,” says Byrd.
“I’ll be able to say I’ve beaten both Klitschkos. Who else can say that?”
“The business side can take a lot out of you,” says Byrd. “But things are great now, now that I’m not with Don King. I saw Judah on TV in that fight in January - I know what he’s saying when it comes to Don King. I know how he finds ways to cut your money.
“I have my team fighting for me and, I know, in a place like Germany, it can be rough. The last trip, I was the enemy. I stayed at a different hotel and it didn’t feel like a championship fight.”
“The referee’s got to do his job,” he says. “Wladimir’s style is all about jabbing and grabbing. C’mon, that’s not boxing. This is not a dancing contest. Don’t give me that one-two-and-hold style.
“Don’t hold me—let’s fight. I mean, look at me—if you think you need to hold me, you’re in trouble. ”Byrd, 6’0”, says he typically weighs just over 200 after a tough workout; and he’s weighed in as low as 210 ˝ in the last two years—compared to the 240-245 of the 6’6” Klitschko.
Despite it not working in his last two fights against someone named ‘Klitschko,’ Byrd is convinced he can beat the bigger man in the rematch:
“I got to be slippery, like water . . .
“I’ll be like a chameleon. I can fight or box you . . .
“I want to test his heart . . .
“I’m underrated as a puncher. My slipping ability and toughness are underrated . . .
“Look at me—I’m a little guy—but I don’t worry about the weight.
I love being the underdog. I don’t back down from nobody . . .
“They say I’m a so-called ‘non-puncher,’ but I’m still champion. I’m going to prove everyone wrong. I got secret weapons I can throw . . . .”
“He keeps bouncing back,” says Byrd. “He’s had changes in style but, basically, these big guys can’t move. I’m not afraid.
“This is going to be like a little mouse chasing around a big elephant.”
Another big elephant Byrd would like to take on is 7” Nikolay Valuev, who wrested the WBA belt from John Ruiz in December.
“I want to be a giant killer. I want to fight all the big guys.”
These kind of fights, he says, is good for the heavyweight scene.
“I’d like to see a box-off between the four champions, but it’s
too political to happen. They say it’s a weak era, but I like this era of boxing.
“As for me, all I ever wanted was to say was that I was the best in the division. It’s great to be champion . . . ."
“I’ll be able to say I’ve beaten both Klitschkos. Who else can say that?”
“The business side can take a lot out of you,” says Byrd. “But things are great now, now that I’m not with Don King. I saw Judah on TV in that fight in January - I know what he’s saying when it comes to Don King. I know how he finds ways to cut your money.
“I have my team fighting for me and, I know, in a place like Germany, it can be rough. The last trip, I was the enemy. I stayed at a different hotel and it didn’t feel like a championship fight.”
“The referee’s got to do his job,” he says. “Wladimir’s style is all about jabbing and grabbing. C’mon, that’s not boxing. This is not a dancing contest. Don’t give me that one-two-and-hold style.
“Don’t hold me—let’s fight. I mean, look at me—if you think you need to hold me, you’re in trouble. ”Byrd, 6’0”, says he typically weighs just over 200 after a tough workout; and he’s weighed in as low as 210 ˝ in the last two years—compared to the 240-245 of the 6’6” Klitschko.
Despite it not working in his last two fights against someone named ‘Klitschko,’ Byrd is convinced he can beat the bigger man in the rematch:
“I got to be slippery, like water . . .
“I’ll be like a chameleon. I can fight or box you . . .
“I want to test his heart . . .
“I’m underrated as a puncher. My slipping ability and toughness are underrated . . .
“Look at me—I’m a little guy—but I don’t worry about the weight.
I love being the underdog. I don’t back down from nobody . . .
“They say I’m a so-called ‘non-puncher,’ but I’m still champion. I’m going to prove everyone wrong. I got secret weapons I can throw . . . .”
“He keeps bouncing back,” says Byrd. “He’s had changes in style but, basically, these big guys can’t move. I’m not afraid.
“This is going to be like a little mouse chasing around a big elephant.”
Another big elephant Byrd would like to take on is 7” Nikolay Valuev, who wrested the WBA belt from John Ruiz in December.
“I want to be a giant killer. I want to fight all the big guys.”
These kind of fights, he says, is good for the heavyweight scene.
“I’d like to see a box-off between the four champions, but it’s
too political to happen. They say it’s a weak era, but I like this era of boxing.
“As for me, all I ever wanted was to say was that I was the best in the division. It’s great to be champion . . . ."
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