Chris Byrd's Success At Light Heavyweight?

Question

Now that Chris Byrd is dropping down from heavyweight to light heavyweight (skipping crusierweight), what kind of success do you think he'll have? At 37 years of age, do you think he can capture a title?

Answer 1

Byrd has the skills to dominate, his power will be better at the lower weight and if he has anything at all left he should be an immediate contender.  The age factor will play a role, a lot depends on his conditioning.  So long as he doesn't struggle to make weight, he should do well.

Answer 2

Of course he skips crusierweight most fighters do. As far as getting a title in that division im not so sure of.

Not counting him out by any means but he is quite old, also many young fighters comming up.

Light Heavy weight is becoming crowded  which means many good fights.

My favorite fighter in that divison is Chad Dawson no doubt. I belive Dawson will prevail in the mini tournament hes in and will take over the  Light Heavy weight division.

Answer 3

He will be the second best fighter at Light Heavyweight because B-HOP is the best.

Answer 4

I don't see how he can go down from 210lb to 175lb and not be completely drained. Surely he should fight at cruiserweight.

I don't think his age is an issue  -  to quote ESPN.com "Of the 12 fighters ranked at 175 pounds by either ESPN.com or The Ring, five are 39 years of age or older, while only three are below the age of 30.

Hopkins, the generally recognized champion, is 43. Jones, Tarver and Johnson are all 39. Another Johnson, Reggie, is back in the mix at 41. Clinton Woods and Danny Green are 35, Zsolt Erdei is 33 and Paul Briggs is 32.

Meanwhile, 40-year-old Sven Ottke and 39-year-old Dariusz Michalczewski are coming out of retirement to fight each other and 37-year-old Chris Byrd announced last week that he's dropping down from heavyweight to light heavyweight.

This division must be serving an early-bird special or something, because the senior citizens are lined up around the corner.

The only 20-somethings in the ratings are Adrian Diaconu, who will turn 30 this June, Chris Henry, who is 27, unproven and untested (and, interestingly, scheduled to face Diaconu on April 19) and Chad Dawson.

In a division full of geriatrics, Dawson, the lone member of the under-30 crowd ranked in the top five, stands out like Nicolai Valuev in a hobbit village. "

But the weight loss Byrd would need to achieve to come in at 175lb is an issue. You saw what it did to Roy Jones coming down from 196 to 175. What do you think it will do to Byrd coming down from 210 - 212 to 175, particularly when he's been that weight for so long? No, I don't think he can be successful at 175lb. He could be very successful at 200lb.

Answer 5

I think he can get a belt at light heavyweight because there are no great lightheavyweight at the moment.

Answer 6

His power should help him a lot though his speed will not be as big of an advantage.  Ithink he should do well and contend for a title with his skill.

Answer 7

Well the age factor is slowly becoming a non-issue nowadays with the likes of Bernard Hopkins running around. His quickness and superior power for a light heavyweight will make him a force in the division.

I see him making a title run in the division definetly.

Answer 8

Byrd will be a nightmare like he was at heavyweight because of his movement. I hope he brings power now that he won't be fighting over 200 pounds. He will get a belt and a trip to the Hall Of Fame.

Answer 9

Chris Byrd had his greatest success against very slow big guys that he was much faster than, and could outsmart and counter effectively.  At 175 there are going to be guys that are faster than him, especially at this stage of his career, and he will not be able to counter them effectively.  I think that he would have had more success as a cruiserweight because he would still be fighting big guys that were much slower than him.  He did start out as a middleweight in the amateurs, but that was a long time ago when he was just a kid- he is now a grown man who is not quite as fast as he used to be, and I think that he would struggle against someone like Chad Dawson or even Clinton Woods.  He would have a better chance at Woods, but Dawson would just be too fast for him at this stage of Byrd's career.

Answer 10

No he is old, and at a lower weight he will be nothing special.  At heavyweight, his advantage is his speed, movment, and defense.  At a lower weight he will be nothing special in the movement & handspeed categories, and with his reflexes slowing, while opponents are throwing faster his defense will suffer.