Chris Byrd
Statistics
Real name	Chris Cornelius Byrd
Nickname	Rapid Fire
Rated at	Heavyweight
Nationality	American
Birth date	August 15, 1970 (1970-08-15) (age 37)
Birth place	Flint, Michigan
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	45
Wins	40
Wins by KO	21
Losses	4
Draws	1
No contests	0

Chris Cornelius Byrd (born August 15, 1970) in Flint, Michigan where he attended Flint Northwestern High School is a 6 ft. / 182.9 cm. tall southpaw boxer, who was nicknamed "Rapid Fire". He is the former WBO and IBF heavyweight champion. For the mixed martial arts division of the same name, see Heavyweight (MMA). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Flint within Genesee County, Michigan. ... Southpaw is a boxing term that designates the normal stance for a left-handed boxer. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Flint within Genesee County, Michigan. ... Flint Northwestern High school was first opened in September of 1964. ... Southpaw is a term used to describe left-handed people, particuarly within sports and in the United States. ... For other senses of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ... // A nickname is a name of a person or thing other than its proper name. ... The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. ... IBF redirects here. ...

Early Life

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.

Amateur Career

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 won the silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympics as a middleweight, losing to Cuba's Ariel Hernández in the final. Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. ... Ariel Hernández (born April 8, 1972) is a boxer from Cuba, who won two Olympic gold medals in the Middleweight division (71-75 kg); at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. ...

Amateur Hightlights

• Lost in the 1988 Olympic Trials at Light Welterweight, losing to eventual United States representative Todd Foster.
• 1989 United States Amateur Light Middleweight Champion
• 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, lost to Torsten Schmitz (East Germany) on points, in Light Middleweight competition.
• 1991 United States Amateur Middleweight Champion
• 1991 World Championships, lost at Middlweight to Ramon Garbey (Cuba)
• 1992 United States Amateur Middleweight Champion
• 1992 Middleweight Gold Medalist at Canada Cup. Results were:
  • Justin Crawford (Australia) won on points
  • Joe Laryea (Ghana) won on points
  • Igor Anashkin (Russia) won on points
• 1992 Qualified as a Middleweight at the Olympic Trials in Worcester, MA. Results were:
  • Derrick James won on points
  • William Joppy won on points
  • Mike DeMoss won on points
  • Mike DeMoss won on points, this bout was at the Olympic Box-Offs in Phoenix, AZ.
• Captured the Middleweight Silver Medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Results were:
  • 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

Ramón Garbey (born March 31, 1971) is a retired boxer from Cuba, who won the world title as an amateur in light heavyweight division (– 81 kg) at the 1993 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Tampere, Finland. ... Derrick James Derrick James (born 1983 Derrick James Colón in Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican actor. ... William Joppy is an American middleweight boxer. ... Mark Edwards Mark Edwards is the current host of the radio show Wake up America, Monday-Fridays from 10:00 PM {PST} – 12:00 AM {PST} for KDWN-AM 720, and is very passionate about the topic of illegal aliens; the primary topics on the show relate to illegal aliens... Chris Johnson may refer to: In sports: Chris L. Johnson (born 1976), Australian rules football player with Brisbane Chris A. Johnson (born 1986), Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club Chris Johnson (boxer) (born 1971), Jamaican Chris Johnson (football player) (born 1979), American NFL football player In art and... Ariel Hernández (born April 8, 1972) is a boxer from Cuba, who won two Olympic gold medals in the Middleweight division (71-75 kg); at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. ...

Pro Career

Byrd turned professional on Jan 28, 1993, displaying punching power by knocking out 10 of his first 13 opponents. Byrd moved up to heavyweight three fights into his professional career. Many have deemed 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 1990s. 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. For the mixed martial arts division of the same name, see Heavyweight (MMA). ... Uriah Grant (born January 20, 1961 in St. ... Bert Cooper (Born January 10, 1966) was a U.S. professional heavyweight boxer. ... Jimmy Thunder, born February 3, 1969 in Apia, Upolu, Samoa as James Peau, is a Samoan boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1990s and 2000s. ...

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, Byrd walked away with a TKO win and a heavyweight championship. The injury that 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 brother. Twelve rounds later, Byrd had lost a lopsided unanimous decision and the WBO belt after being knocked down twice. Donovan Ruddock (born December 21, 1963 in St. ... Dr. Vitali Vladimirovich Klitschko (Ukrainian: ) born July 19, 1971). ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. ... Wladimir Dr. Steelhammer Klitschko (Ukrainian: , Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko); born March 25, 1976 in Solnechnoe, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan) is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer, former WBO and the current IBF and IBO World Heavyweight Champion. ...

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. IBF redirects here. ... David Tua, (born Mafaufau Tavita Lio Mafaufau Sanerivi Talimatasi on November 21, 1972 on the Island of Upolu, Samoa), is a heavyweight boxer and former title challenger currently rising again in the heavyweight rankings. ... Evander Real Deal Holyfield (born October 19, 1962 in Atmore, Alabama) is a professional boxer from the United States and a multiple world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. ... Alternate meanings: See Atlantic City (disambiguation) Atlantic City is a city located in USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,517. ...

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. Fres Oquendo born April 1, 1973 in Puerto Rico, is a professional heavyweight boxer. ... Andrzej GoÅ‚ota (in the USA often referred to as Andrew Golota; born January 5, 1968) is a professional boxer from Poland who has been involved in many controversial fights. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... DaVarryl Williamson Age: 36 (7/25/68) Alias: Touch of Sleep Residence: Aurora, Colorado Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Record: 21-3, 17KO’s Height: 6’4” Weight: 220 lbs Reach: 80” Promoter: Don King Productions Trainer: George Durbin Webpage: www. ... Don King Donald Don King (born August 20, 1931), is a successful American boxing promoter particularly known for his hairstyle and flamboyant personality. ... Lennox Claudius Lewis CBE (born September 2, 1965 in West Ham, London, England) is a retired professional boxer who represented Canada in the Olympics and fought under the British flag as a professional. ...

fight in Mannheim

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. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (768x1024, 185 KB) Beschreibung: Innenansicht der SAP Arena während des Schwergewichts-WM-Kampfes am 22. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (768x1024, 185 KB) Beschreibung: Innenansicht der SAP Arena während des Schwergewichts-WM-Kampfes am 22. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Wladimir Dr. Steelhammer Klitschko (Ukrainian: , Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko); born March 25, 1976 in Solnechnoe, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan) is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer, former WBO and the current IBF and IBO World Heavyweight Champion. ... The International Boxing Organization (IBO) is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships. ... SAP Arena is an arena in Mannheim, Germany. ... Mannheim is a city in Germany. ...

Additional Info

• His hometown is Flint, Michigan where he trains along with his brother Patrick Byrd, and his sister Tracy Byrd. Byrd is also the cousin of Lamon Brewster.

• Byrd's corner consists entirely of family members.

Nickname: Location of Flint within Genesee County, Michigan. ... Tracy Byrd (born August 27, 1964 in Flint, Michigan) is a female boxer. ... Relentless Lamon Tajuan Brewster (born June 5, 1973 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American heavyweight professional boxer, who won the silver medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata. ... A cornerman giving instructions. ...

See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions
• List of male boxers
• List of current world boxing champions

This is a chronological list of world heavyweight boxing champions, as recognized by the following organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983, and The World Boxing... This is a list of notable male boxers. ... // This is a list of current boxing world champions who are certified by the four major boxing sanctioning bodies[1] and The Ring magazine. ...

External links

• http://media.putfile.com/Ibeabuchi-vs-Byrd-ko
• Chris Byrd's career recordS