What would have happened if Big Len vs. Byrd had been made?

[K-DOGG]

I'd favour Lewis to win by a decision. Byrd is not easily knocked out and Lewis wasn't the type of fighter that jumped on you, unless you were a stationary target with a bad defense, like Golota, for example. Styles make fights, and Chris at his best never wanted to mix it up, so we've got two counter-punchers here, which means the fight could be boring.

Lewis's performances against Ruddock, Golota, Botha, and Grant really can't be used as a point of reference because Byrd fought nothing like any of them. Byrd's size would both help him and hurt him; he'd be difficult for Lewis to hit, but he would have a lot of trouble getting inside Lewis' reach.

I can see Lennox dropping Byrd with one well-timed shot; but I really don't see him stopping Chris.

Lewis by UD.

[Hitman932]

chris byrd cannot beat anyone who can outjab him, at heavyweight he needs to land more punches and when he is getting outjabbed that is almost impossible to do.

[DiegoFuego]

Really.. back when Chris Byrd was merely Middle aged he took David Tuas best SHOTS so I think even the old senile corspe of today could last at least 7 rounds with Lewis

Byrd has a good chin, but in case you missed it, Tua hit his shoulders more than his chin

[Derranged]

In Byrd's prime, I would say the fight would look similar to Wlad/Byrd I. But the difference in that fight was that Wladimir was still a touch green and almost stoppped him. Whatever the case is, in their primes, Lewis wins by a landslide. Lewis has a very similar style to Wlad, and I dont think Byrd would be able to deal with it. Im not trying to turn this into a WLADIMIR thread but I believe the comparrison is appropriate.

[K-DOGG]

Many of you are looking at and using the Wladimir fights to assess how Byrd would lose; but I submit for thought that while Lewis had knock-out power, he was never of the same mentality as Klitschko. Wlad, young Wlad, not now, was a guy looking to take you out, Lewis has only taken that approach on a few occassions. That's part of the reason he never was that popular of a champion in the states until late in his career.

Lewis was a counter-puncher by nature and never was very effective as an aggressor because it wasn't in his mentality.

[BrooklynBomber]

Lewis by decision, and its not gonna look pretty.
I am not willing to give Lewis any benefit of a doubt, cause Len never fought anyone with style of Byrd. Now I believe that Lewis's right hand and a jab would score him a comfortable decision, but I doubt that it would be a KO.

[Parody]

lewis said he never wanted to fight byrd becuase of his style and speed.... byrd beat vitali and just came in with the wrong game plan in the second wlad fight

Lewis beat Vitali, and would beat Wlad more comfortably as Vitali was the stronger one with good chin, Vitali was kicking Byrd's ass until he injured his shoulder, if he would have gone 2 more rounds he would have won a lopsided decision.

Even if Byrd came with the right game plan in the second wlad fight he would have lost by later stoppage if not a one-sided UD

[+= El Jefe=+]

I actually heard about the Byrdman of Alchospaz before I saw him. He was in an interview with some boxing magazine or other, giving a very convincing argument as to why he should get a shot at Big Len and basically saying that Big Len was ducking him. (By virtue of the fact that he was looking to fight Big Klit, a man who Byrd had defeated. Yeah, you whupped his ass, Chris... you let him knock so much **** out of you it put it his shoulder out of joint, you fanny rag).
But then I saw him. I mean, it shouldn't, but politics comes into boxing, and with Big Len not exactly being the most spectacular heavyweight to watch at the best of times (what's that, you fat Jamoc? You're gonna jab them for twelve rounds then say "big up"? Okay, carry on...) seeing him in with the pugilistic equivalent of Mogadons was never going to break box office records.

But with Chris's style could he have managed it?

For me, every year that goes by I start to appreciate Big Len more... because whatever detractions about the guy, I don't think there's a single current titlist that could have gone more than six rounds with him.

I'm not sure if Lennox had the instinctual boxing brain of the Klits to work out Byrd's style so handily, but would it still have been a relatively easy night's work for him?

hahahahahaha, this is where i stopped too much laughter

[Easy-E]

lewis said he never wanted to fight byrd becuase of his style and speed.... byrd beat vitali and just came in with the wrong game plan in the second wlad fight

Vitali kicked Byrds ass, what fight were you watching???