BoxRec

Carrying on with my 'Best Win Series'..



He had a record 41 wins, with 22 KO's!

Which was his best and/or defining win?

What was his best KO win?

Some names that he has fought include:

Vitali Klitschko
David Tua
Evander Holyfield
Fres Oquendo
Jameel McCline

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Another question..

Regardless of win/loss.. Who was his best opponent?

From the list above, this would include the likes of:

Ike Ibeabuchi
Wladimir Klitschko
Andrew Golota
Alexander Povetkin

His best win was Tua who was in really good shape for their fight; he beat a better version of Tua than did Lewis.

Holyfield was the best fighter he ever fought but not that version of Holy, who probably should have retired after this fight, so I’ll say Wlad.

Thunder was his best KO win

The couple of years between vitali k’s fight with Danny Williams and the second Klitschko Byrd fight were the worst ever in the heavyweight division.

The best win over Byrd was Ike’s.

Contendeh wrote: ↑23 Jan 2018, 09:36 His best win was Tua who was in really good shape for their fight; he beat a better version of Tua than did Lewis.

I agree somewhat to this. Obviously, on paper, his best win is Vitali. But anyone who watched the fight knows he was losing.

Best win:
- in the sense of best opponent - Vitaly.
- in the sense of best fight - Tua.

Best KO win: I would go with Jimmy Thunder who was IMO better fighter than his record may suggest.

Best opponents: Wlad - Vitaly - Ike - Tua.

Not counting Holyfield who was already ancient at that time.

Best win: 1) Vitali Klitschko. 2) David Tua, 3) Washed up Holyfield
Best performance: 1) Against David Tua, who was in great shape in that fight. 2) Against Holyfield. 3) Against Vitali (I had Byrd losing 2-3 points after9 rounds)
Best KO win: 1) Graig Petersen. 2) Jimmy Thunder. 3) Lionel Butler.
Best opponent: 1) Wladimir Klitschko. 2) Vitali Klitschko. 3) Ike Ibeabuchi

Best win -Hard to say. Depends on what criteria you use for best win. The V. Kltischko fight was a horrible fight. I remember laughing when when they were punching each other's gloves. Holyfield was way past it when they fought; that fight means literally nothing. Guess I would go with Tua.
Performance- Probably either Holyfield or Tua. Had several performances against lesser fighters that are hard to rate.

Best KO win -That's a tough one isn't it? Hard to remember times when he actually knocked someone down. Technically, the Klitschko win counts as a KO when counting his KO wins.

Best opponent (at the time they fought) - Guess with have to go with Wladimir. We really don't know how good Ibeabuchi was.

His best win on paper is Vitali Klitschko, but of course due to the circumstances of the win this isn't the one I'd choose.

His best performance is the win over David Tua

And yes the Holyfield performance is right there just behind it. I'd rank the Tua win higher because Tua was pretty much prime, and in his best shape, he just couldn't land anything significant on Byrd who gave an excellent defensive performance.

His best KO win....Jimmy Thunder

Best opponent he ever fought was Holyfield, but Holyfield wasn't prime.

Best fighter he ever fought that was in his prime is Wladimir.

Well, everything here is absolutely obvious and has already been mentioned. Byrd has an ironical situation. He has fought three legends - Vitali, Wladimir and Holyfield. And he has defeated two of them, but those can't be called significant wins, as Vitali was clearly leading, when he had been injured, and Holyfield was washed-up. So, the best win - Tua, the best KO win - Jimmy Thunder, the best opponents - Klitschkos.

Which was his best and/or defining win?

Anyone looking at his record will automatically think Vitali was his best win. But anyone around that time will know it's not a win, only on paper.

His best win would have to be Tua. As a lot of you above have mentioned, he was at his best. Best shape etc.

Could be his defining win too.

What was his best KO win?

Jimmy Thunder. < Although he never dropped him. It was a great stoppage. He unloaded shot after shot. Crisp clean on Thunder. Thunder was a tough dude.

Regardless of win/loss.. Who was his best opponent?

Wlad in 2006 or Ike Ibeabuchi.

Byrd was probably the best American Heavyweight of the 2000's.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 13:00 Byrd was probably the best American Heavyweight of the 2000's.

It's tough to define among him, Ruiz and Rahman. All of them were pretty inconsistent and had a lot of arguable moments. A one can be considered better, than the others, by different points of view. However, Ruiz looked like the least skillful of them and he had a lot even hugging contests, which could have gone absolutely either way, Rahman bout was among such. And Byrd was the most skillful out of them. While Rahman had the biggest scalp, which was taken without any controversy. Btw Brewster is close to these three guys judging from some particular perspectives.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 Feb 2018, 11:49 Which was his best and/or defining win?

Anyone looking at his record will automatically think Vitali was his best win. But anyone around that time will know it's not a win, only on paper.

His best win would have to be Tua. As a lot of you above have mentioned, he was at his best. Best shape etc.

Could be his defining win too.

What was his best KO win?

Jimmy Thunder. < Although he never dropped him. It was a great stoppage. He unloaded shot after shot. Crisp clean on Thunder. Thunder was a tough dude.

Regardless of win/loss.. Who was his best opponent?

Wlad in 2006 or Ike Ibeabuchi.

The difficulty in rating his best win isn't that vitality was ahead, it's that holyfield was so many levels above vitali at their peaks it's hard to place the decline. Byrd definitely won, vitali didn't have the testicular fortitude for 6 more minutes. No shame in quitting, but it counts. Another area he falls miles short of holy field, who also fought Byrd with a bum shoulder. I'll say this, there was never a time where evander would lose to tua. Byrd would trouble prime holy.

DrDuke wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 14:15

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 13:00 Byrd was probably the best American Heavyweight of the 2000's.

It's tough to define among him, Ruiz and Rahman. All of them were pretty inconsistent and had a lot of arguable moments. A one can be considered better, than the others, by different points of view. However, Ruiz looked like the least skillful of them and he had a lot even hugging contests, which could have gone absolutely either way, Rahman bout was among such. And Byrd was the most skillful out of them. While Rahman had the biggest scalp, which was taken without any controversy. Btw Brewster is close to these three guys judging from some particular perspectives.

How many times did Byrd, Rahman, Ruiz and Brewster fight each other?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 14:34

DrDuke wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 14:15

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 13:00 Byrd was probably the best American Heavyweight of the 2000's.

It's tough to define among him, Ruiz and Rahman. All of them were pretty inconsistent and had a lot of arguable moments. A one can be considered better, than the others, by different points of view. However, Ruiz looked like the least skillful of them and he had a lot even hugging contests, which could have gone absolutely either way, Rahman bout was among such. And Byrd was the most skillful out of them. While Rahman had the biggest scalp, which was taken without any controversy. Btw Brewster is close to these three guys judging from some particular perspectives.

How many times did Byrd, Rahman, Ruiz and Brewster fight each other?

Only Ruiz-Rahman bout occurred actually. They have some other common opponents among them though, what is the only basis for judging.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 14:34

DrDuke wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 14:15

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2018, 13:00 Byrd was probably the best American Heavyweight of the 2000's.

It's tough to define among him, Ruiz and Rahman. All of them were pretty inconsistent and had a lot of arguable moments. A one can be considered better, than the others, by different points of view. However, Ruiz looked like the least skillful of them and he had a lot even hugging contests, which could have gone absolutely either way, Rahman bout was among such. And Byrd was the most skillful out of them. While Rahman had the biggest scalp, which was taken without any controversy. Btw Brewster is close to these three guys judging from some particular perspectives.

How many times did Byrd, Rahman, Ruiz and Brewster fight each other?

Good point.

Tua may be the best win. Since Holyfield was clearly past it, Tua would have been the best fighter that he beat.

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 11:44 Tua may be the best win. Since Holyfield was clearly past it, Tua would have been the best fighter that he beat.

Yeah, never impressed with Byrd, but Tua was probably his best win.

Full fight is on Youtube..

oogiebe wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 11:47

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 11:44 Tua may be the best win. Since Holyfield was clearly past it, Tua would have been the best fighter that he beat.

Yeah, never impressed with Byrd, but Tua was probably his best win.

Do you feel Byrd over-achieved?

He was never meant to be a heavyweight, but he was there at the right time and he made it his division.

I was amazed when he beat Tua. I was convinced Tua would catch him at some point, like he did Nicholson.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑16 Oct 2020, 04:34

oogiebe wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 11:47

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 11:44 Tua may be the best win. Since Holyfield was clearly past it, Tua would have been the best fighter that he beat.

Yeah, never impressed with Byrd, but Tua was probably his best win.

Do you feel Byrd over-achieved?

He was never meant to be a heavyweight, but he was there at the right time and he made it his division.

Most certainly.

Tua was the best performance

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 Feb 2018, 11:49 Which was his best and/or defining win?

Anyone looking at his record will automatically think Vitali was his best win. But anyone around that time will know it's not a win, only on paper.

Oh grow up. Vitali himself said the injury was caused by a punch. Byrd beat him fair and square.

Onamastus wrote: ↑17 Oct 2020, 15:17

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 Feb 2018, 11:49 Which was his best and/or defining win?

Anyone looking at his record will automatically think Vitali was his best win. But anyone around that time will know it's not a win, only on paper.

Oh grow up. Vitali himself said the injury was caused by a punch. Byrd beat him fair and square.

It’s not a fight he was winning it wasn’t his best performance, injury or not, fair play to Byrd. He got the win. Which is all that matters.

C'mon can you really count the fight with Vitali as a "win" ?
Didn't Vitali tear his left rotator cup in the 3rd round,
yet he still went 6 more rounds trying to fight in excruciating pain?
btw how did you score the rounds after round 3 ?