Chris Byrd
Chris Byrd | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chris Cornelius Byrd August 15, 1970 |
| Nationality |  American |
| Other names | Rapid Fire |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 43 |
| Wins | 39 |
| Wins by KO | 20 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
Chris Cornelius "Rapid Fire" Byrd, (born August 15, 1970), is a 6 ft. / 182.9 cm. tall southpaw boxer. He is the former WBO and IBF heavyweight champion.
Biography
Chris Byrd won the silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympics as a middleweight, losing to Cuba's Ariel Hernández in the final. He moved up to heavyweight three fights into his professional career. As a result of his not being a "natural heavyweight" (i.e., well over 6 ft. tall and at least 230 lb. / 104.3 kg.) he lacks overwhelming punching power. This has led many to deem Byrd's highly technical style of boxing (jabbing, fast hands, sporadic combination-punching, and evasive body movement) too boring for the heavyweight division. Regardless, Byrd was one of the world's best heavyweights in the late 1990's.
Chris Byrd was the youngest of eight children growing up in Flint, Michigan (U.S.A.). He began boxing at age 5, training in his father (Joe Sr.)'s Joe Byrd Boxing Academy. His father continued to train and manage Byrd as a professional. Byrd began competing in the ring at age 10, and compiled an impressive 275 wins in the amateur ranks. He was a three-time U.S. amateur champion (1989, 1991, and 1992). He was on the 1991 U.S. National Team that became the first (and only) U.S. team to score a tie against the heralded Cuban team. Byrd turned professional on Jan 28, 1993, displaying punching power by knocking out 10 of his first 13 opponents. Byrd remained undefeated for his first 26 fights, knocking off then-notable opponents like Uriah Grant, Bert Cooper, Frankie Swindell, Jimmy Thunder and Ross Puritty.
During the last week of March 2000, Byrd was offered the chance to be the replacement (for Donovan Ruddock) against undefeated champion Vitali Klitschko in Berlin, Germany (Klitschko's adopted home country) for the WBO Heavyweight Title. With only seven days to prepare for the fight (not the customary 6-12 weeks), and facing a hometown favorite, Byrd took on a great challenge. Byrd struggled greatly in the fight until the fifth round, when he began to back up his 6-foot-7-inch (200.7 cm.) opponent. Byrd then succeeded in further pressing his opponent and started turning the fight against the champion. Klitschko finished the ninth round, but complained of shoulder pain and was unable to continue. Despite trailing on all three of the judges' scorecards, Chris Byrd walked away with a TKO win and a heavyweight championship. The injury that Vitali Klitschko suffered was a torn shoulder rotator cuff, which required major surgery and a 7 month lay-off. Six months later, Byrd was back in Germany to defend the title against Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger, more agile and powerful brother. Twelve rounds later, Byrd had lost a lopsided unanimous decision and the WBO belt after being knocked down twice.
Byrd returned to the U.S. and two fights later he won the USBA heavyweight belt in Madison Square Garden. Although it was a minor title, the USBA was associated with the IBF. He was now a top-five contender for the IBF title. After winning his next match (a title defense against New Zealand's David Tua) Byrd eventually received his mandatory shot at the vacant IBF world Heavyweight Championship against Evander Holyfield in Atlantic City. On Dec. 14, 2002, Byrd won a lopsided unanimous decision and the IBF Title in an impressive performance against one of the biggest names in boxing history.
Byrd has successfully defended the IBF belt against: Fres Oquendo in 2003, "Andrew" Golota (match ended in a controversial draw in which most people felt Golota won) and Jameel McCline in 2004, and DaVarryl Williamson in 2005. Because he was generally recognized as the most talented of the three major world champions (in 2004 & 2005), boxing observers expected much of Byrd. However, his infrequent and unentertaining title defenses have led some boxing writers and fans to heavily criticize his IBF Championship reign. Frequent contract disputes with promoter Don King caused significant tensions as boxing fans awaited a more definitive champion to re-unify the title relinquished by Lennox Lewis.
On April 22, 2006, Byrd lost to Wladimir Klitschko in a fight for the IBF and IBO title. The fight took place at SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Byrd was heavily dominated throughout the fight, was down in the fifth, and again in the seventh. Referee Wayne Kelly stopped the fight after the second knockdown when Byrd had an open cut near his eyes. Klitschko won in a TKO.
Various media sources indicated in July 2006 that Chris Byrd would fight Jamaican O'Neil Bell for the unified cruiserweight championship in September. Byrd, who was always considered a small heavyweight, is increasingly unable to hold his own against the likes of powerful big men like the Klitschkos or Golota.
Additional Info
His hometown is Flint, Michigan, but he and his family have moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Byrd's corner consists of his parents. Byrd is a born-again Christian and often enters the ring to Gospel music and with Scripture verses on his ring attire.