Chris Byrd

At 53 years old, Chris Byrd has this physical status:

Christopher Cornelius "Chris" Byrd (born August 15, 1970) is an American retired professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2009.

He is a two-time world heavyweight champion who first won the WBO title in 2000 after an epic corner stoppage over then-undefeated Vitali Klitschko.

Vitali's brother, Wladimir Klitschko, died in his first title defense later this year.

Byrd won the IBF heavyweight championship for his second time as world champion in 2002.

He had four good defenses before losing his title to Wladimir Klitschko in a 2006 rematch.

Lamon Brewster, Byrd's uncle, has a long association with Wladimir Klitschko: Brewster defeated him in 2004 but lost in a 2007 rematch. Byrd, an amateur, represented the United States in the 1992 Summer Olympics and received a silver medal in the middleweight division.

He is also a three-time national amateur champion, winning the light middleweight title in 1989 and 1992, as well as the middleweight championship in 1991 and 1992.

Early life

In Flint, Michigan, Chris Byrd was the youngest of eight children. At the age of 5, he began boxing with his father (Joe Sr.) at the Joe Byrd Boxing Academy. His father continued to educate and direct Byrd as a professional. Byrd attended Flint Northwestern High School.

Life outside boxing

Former boxers as well as current professional and champion-level combatants can be seen on "Byrd's Eye View," a weekly video podcast that is available in the United States.

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Amateur career

Since being in the ring at age 10, Byrd has fought in 285 amateur matches in various weight divisions, totaling a record of 275 victories, 10 losses. He was a three-time U.S. amateur champion (1989, 1991, and 1992). He was on the 1991 U.S. National boxing Team, becoming the first (and only) US team to score a tie against the heralded Cuban team. Byrd took silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympics as a middleweight, losing to Cuba's Ariel Hernández in the final.

Professional career

On January 28, 1993, Byrd, a youngster, became a professional, knocking out ten of his first 13 opponents. Byrd's career began with a three-fighter match.

Byrd remained undefeated in his first 26 battles, defeating then-notable opponents like Phil Jackson, Lionel Butler, Uriah Grant, Bert Cooper, Craig Peterson, Frankie Swindell, Jimmy Thunder, and Billy Bird remain undefeated Eliecer Castillo and Ross Puritty.

However, Byrd's undefeated record in 1999 came to an end as he defeated undefeated Ibeabuchi. Face first with 48 seconds remaining in the fifth round, a left-handed bolo punch and a right hook delivered Byrd to the ground, with a right hook placing him first.

Byrd was given the opportunity to be the replacement (for Donovan Ruddock) against undefeated champion Vitali Klitschko in Berlin, Germany, (Klitschko's adopted home country) for the WBO Heavyweight Championship. He had only seven days to prepare for the war (not the customary 6–12 weeks). Byrd suffered heavily in the fight, trailing after nine rounds by scores of 88–83 (on two cards) and 89–82 (on one card). In those rounds, you will lose seven or eight of them. Klitschko suffered a serious shoulder injury and was unable to continue after the ninth round, but it was still possible to continue. Klitschko sustained a torn shoulder rotator cuff, which required major surgery and a 7-month layoff. Despite trailing on all three of the judges' scorecards, Byrd walked away the champion by a technical knockout due to Klitschko's injury.

Byrd was back in Germany six months later to defend the title against Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger, more agile brother. After being knocked down twice, Byrd had defeated a lopsided unanimous decision and the WBO belt and the WBO crown.

In Madison Square Garden, Byrd returned to the United States, signed with Don King and defeated Maurice Harris to win the United States Boxing Association heavyweight belt. He was now a top-five challenger for the IBF championship. After winning his next match (a title defense against New Zealand's top prospect David Tua) Byrd eventually received his mandatory shot at Evander Holyfield in Atlantic City. Byrd won a unanimous decision and the IBF championship on December 14, 2002.

In 2003, Byrd has successfully defended the IBF belt against Fres Oquendo, a thrilling draw with Andrew Golota, and a decision win over Jameel McCline in 2004, and DaVarryl Williamson in 2005. According to pay-per-view, Byrd's war against Golota brought in 75,000 customers.

Byrd met Wladimir Klitschko for the second time on April 22, 2006. Byrd was fighting for his fifth IBF title and the International Boxing Organization had also praised the sport for its position, which had been vacated upon Lennox Lewis' retirement. The confrontation took place at SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Byrd, who was heavily dominated throughout the fight, was defeated in the fifth and then in the seventh, and then again in the seventh. Referee Wayne Kelly called off the match following the second blowdown, but Byrd had an open cut near his eyes.

Klitschko won in a TKO

Byrd will drop about 40 pounds to return to the light heavyweight division after losing to Alexander Povetkin. On May 16, 2008, Shaun George was defeated by David Athens at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. In round one, Byrd was dropped by George and stunned once more in round two. At first, George thrashed Byrd with his right hand at will, and then flooring Byrd twice in the ninth round. Byrd recovered from the first knockdown but was then battered again and the match was called off by the referee.

Byrd officially announced his retirement from boxing in 2010.

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