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Defeated Byrd now targets cruiserweight title
Byrd ponders whether to fight on
By Ant Evans: Vanquished former two-time heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, who was brutally alleviated of his IBF world title by Wladimir Klitschko in Germany last weekend, is now considering his options in boxing. When a 35-year-old takes the kind of beating Byrd did in those one-sided rounds v Klitschko, the subject of retirement is always on the agenda but Byrd's long-time lawyer and advisor, John Hornewer, told SecondsOut that an intriguing jump down in division to cruiserweight could be the exit strategy for the former WBO and IBF heavyweight champ.
Hornewer said: "If with his style and sheer size Wladimir is the one guy who Chris can't beat with his size and style - then so be it. Wlad is the only active heavyweight to have beaten Chris, and when you look at both fighters, I don't think there's any shame in that.
"The future depends on what Chris believes he should do but, after medical tests to make sure he's ok, if he want to continue there are big fights he will still win with his skills. Chris would beat James Toney, Antonio Tarver or Joe Mesi and we could also go down to cruiserweight and fight (undisputed 200lbs king) O'Neil Bell."
Evander Holyfield, whom Byrd outpointed in 2002, is currently the only fighter to ever win cruiserweight and heavyweight titles. Hornewer believes his client could join the future Hall of Famer - only going down, not up, in weight division.
Hornewer is confident that Byrd, now 35, could slim down to 200lbs despite the Flint born southpaw not weighing anything like that weight since the mid-1990s.
"Oh, sure Chris could make cruiserweight," he said. "Absolutely. Chris is really a light heavyweight or cruiserweight anyway, he's been fighting above his natural weight for years and I don't think he's got the credit he deserves for doing that. When (former middleweights) like James Toney or Roy Jones do it (fight heavyweights) it's incredible (in the eyes of the media and public) but Chris has beaten more top heavyweights than both of them and he started off as a middleweight, too."
The lawyer believes that Bell, who is anxious to cash in on his big win over Jean Marc Mormeck January, would be very tempted to fight Byrd. "It would make sense for him because what other big fights are there for him right now? And it would make sense for us because it was hard enough getting heavyweights to step up to fight Chris even when he had the IBF title!"
But whether Byrd remains at heavyweight, challenges Bell or simply retires from boxing with a 39-3-1 record and as a two-time heavyweight champ, Hornewer is immensely proud of his work with a David who beat a battalion of Goliaths.
He said: "I will always be proud of Chris, no matter what. Losing to Klitschko - there's no shame in that although I'm disappointed - although nowhere as near as Chris is - that he abandoned the gameplan after one round. De La Hoya isn't terrible because he lost to Mosley twice. I have never done better work with a client and have never had such a positive relationship with a client in my 20 years in boxing. Chris is a great guy, and this has been a most fulfilling 10 years working with him and watching someone simply overachieve in a sport that is entirely unforgiving."
Byrd ponders whether to fight on
By Ant Evans: Vanquished former two-time heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, who was brutally alleviated of his IBF world title by Wladimir Klitschko in Germany last weekend, is now considering his options in boxing. When a 35-year-old takes the kind of beating Byrd did in those one-sided rounds v Klitschko, the subject of retirement is always on the agenda but Byrd's long-time lawyer and advisor, John Hornewer, told SecondsOut that an intriguing jump down in division to cruiserweight could be the exit strategy for the former WBO and IBF heavyweight champ.
Hornewer said: "If with his style and sheer size Wladimir is the one guy who Chris can't beat with his size and style - then so be it. Wlad is the only active heavyweight to have beaten Chris, and when you look at both fighters, I don't think there's any shame in that.
"The future depends on what Chris believes he should do but, after medical tests to make sure he's ok, if he want to continue there are big fights he will still win with his skills. Chris would beat James Toney, Antonio Tarver or Joe Mesi and we could also go down to cruiserweight and fight (undisputed 200lbs king) O'Neil Bell."
Evander Holyfield, whom Byrd outpointed in 2002, is currently the only fighter to ever win cruiserweight and heavyweight titles. Hornewer believes his client could join the future Hall of Famer - only going down, not up, in weight division.
Hornewer is confident that Byrd, now 35, could slim down to 200lbs despite the Flint born southpaw not weighing anything like that weight since the mid-1990s.
"Oh, sure Chris could make cruiserweight," he said. "Absolutely. Chris is really a light heavyweight or cruiserweight anyway, he's been fighting above his natural weight for years and I don't think he's got the credit he deserves for doing that. When (former middleweights) like James Toney or Roy Jones do it (fight heavyweights) it's incredible (in the eyes of the media and public) but Chris has beaten more top heavyweights than both of them and he started off as a middleweight, too."
The lawyer believes that Bell, who is anxious to cash in on his big win over Jean Marc Mormeck January, would be very tempted to fight Byrd. "It would make sense for him because what other big fights are there for him right now? And it would make sense for us because it was hard enough getting heavyweights to step up to fight Chris even when he had the IBF title!"
But whether Byrd remains at heavyweight, challenges Bell or simply retires from boxing with a 39-3-1 record and as a two-time heavyweight champ, Hornewer is immensely proud of his work with a David who beat a battalion of Goliaths.
He said: "I will always be proud of Chris, no matter what. Losing to Klitschko - there's no shame in that although I'm disappointed - although nowhere as near as Chris is - that he abandoned the gameplan after one round. De La Hoya isn't terrible because he lost to Mosley twice. I have never done better work with a client and have never had such a positive relationship with a client in my 20 years in boxing. Chris is a great guy, and this has been a most fulfilling 10 years working with him and watching someone simply overachieve in a sport that is entirely unforgiving."
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