Chris Byrd

Name: Chris Byrd
Alias: Rapid Fire
Birth Name: Christopher Cornelius Byrd
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Birthplace: Flint, Michigan, USA
Stance: Southpaw
Height: 188cm
Reach: 191cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Amateur Boxer: Record

Trainer: Joe Byrd
Promoters: Cedric Kushner, Don King

Amateur Career

• Amateur Record: 290-25
• 1988 Olympic Trials: Lost to eventual United States representative Todd Foster in the quarterfinals of the Light Welterweight competition
• 1989 United States Amateur Light Welterweight Champion
• 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, WA: Lost to Torsten Schmitz (East Germany) in the quarterfinals of the Light Middleweight competition
• 1991 United States Amateur Middleweight Champion
• 1991 World Championships: Lost to Ramon Garbey (Cuba) in Middleweight competition
• 1992 United States Amateur Middleweight Champion
• 1992 Middleweight Gold Medalist at Canada Cup. Results:
  • Justin Crawford (Australia) won on points
  • Joe Laryea (Ghana) won on points
  • Igor Anashkin (Russia) won on points
• 1992 Olympic Trials Middleweight winner in Worcester, MA. Results:
  • Derrick James, won on points
  • William Joppy, won on points
  • Mike DeMoss, won on points
• 1992 Olympic Box-Off Middleweight winner in Phoenix, AZ. Results:
  • Mike DeMoss, won on points
• 1992 Middleweight Silver Medalist at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Results:
  • Mark Edwards (Great Britain) 21-3
  • Alexander Lebziak (Russia/Unified Team) 16-7
  • Ahmed Dine (Algeria) 21-2
  • Chris Johnson (Canada) 17-3
  • Ariel Hernandez (Cuba) 7-12

Professional Career

• Has a record of 2-2 (1 KO) against International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees:
  • Won against Vitali Klitschko and Evander Holyfield.
  • Lost against Wladimir Klitschko (twice).
• Won the vacant USBA Heavyweight Championship with a sixth-round TKO of Mike Rouse on March 28, 1995.
• Won the vacant WBU International Heavyweight Championship with a twelve-round unanimous decision against Phil Jackson on November 21, 1995.
• Stopped in five rounds by Ike Ibeabuchi on March 20, 1999.
• Upset Vitali Klitschko by a ninth-round TKO to win the WBO Heavyweight Championship on April 1, 2000.
• Lost the WBO Heavyweight Championship to Wladimir Klitschko by a twelve-round unanimous decision on October 14, 2000.
• Defeated Maurice Harris by a twelve-round unanimous decision to regain the USBA Heavyweight Championship on May 12, 2001.
• Upset David Tua by a twelve-round unanimous decision on August 18, 2001 to become the mandatory IBF heavyweight challenger.
• Defeated Evander Holyfield by a twelve-round unanimous decision to win the vacant IBF Heavyweight Championship on December 14, 2002.
• Lost the IBF Heavyweight Championship in his fifth defense to Wladimir Klitschko on April 22, 2006. Byrd was stopped in the seventh round.
• Lost to Alexander Povetkin by a eleventh-round TKO on October 27, 2007.
• Dropped down to light heavyweight and fought Shaun George on May 16, 2008. Looking gaunt at 174 pounds, Byrd was knocked out in the ninth round.
• In his last fight, Byrd stopped Matthias Sandow in four rounds in a cruiserweight fight on March 21, 2009.

Boxing Family

• His father, Joe Byrd, was his trainer.
• His mother, Rose Byrd, was his assistant trainer.
• Younger brother of fellow professional boxers Patrick Byrd, Tracy Byrd, Ron Byrd and Tim Byrd.
• Cousin of former WBO Heavyweight Champion Lamon Brewster.

Preceded by: Vitali Klitschko	WBO Heavyweight Champion 2000 Apr 1 – 2000 Oct 14	Succeeded by: Wladimir Klitschko
Preceded by: Lennox Lewis Vacated	IBF Heavyweight Champion 2002 Dec 14 – 2006 Apr 22	Succeeded by: Wladimir Klitschko