Chris Byrd should retire

[Splandman]

I will admit that I never have been a huge fan of Chris Byrd. I have seen him fight quite a few fights. I like the guy as a person, but I've never really liked his fighting, though there have been times I thought he looked impressive and he certainly has some good accomplishments in his career.

Tonight I was looking forward to seeing him on FNF because he dropped two weight classes (to his natural weight actually) to fight at 175. That's a 40 pound drop from his heavywheight fights. His physique looked great and he was supposedly on weight 6 weeks before the fight.

He fought horribly. I was surpised that when Shaun George connected Chris looked like he was hurt just as badly as when Wladimir hit him. He was walking like guys do when they are badly hurt and his eyes looked very glazed.

He was absolutely not any more energetic than when he fought 40 lbs heavier. His defense looked terrible. I really felt bad for the guy and hope he hangs it up. He displayed all the signs (to me, and im no expert) of a gy that has been hit too much. He's still an intelligent guy, he would do well as a commentator. He had an Extreme Couture shirt on, hope he does not try mma. A headkick would not be good for him.

Saying all that, I don't want to take away from Shaun George. He looked really sharp and he's no slouch.

Anyone else watch this? and what did you think?

[DonFrye]

I didn't see the fight, but I sure remember the "REAL" Chris Byrd. The dude moved like he was a Welter or Middle. Great skills, just had the Michael Nunn disease......

[Dork8503]

Originally Posted by Splandman

I will admit that I never have been a huge fan of Chris Byrd. I have seen him fight quite a few fights. I like the guy as a person, but I've never really liked his fighting, though there have been times I thought he looked impressive and he certainly has some good accomplishments in his career.

Tonight I was looking forward to seeing him on FNF because he dropped two weight classes (to his natural weight actually) to fight at 175. That's a 40 pound drop from his heavywheight fights. His physique looked great and he was supposedly on weight 6 weeks before the fight.

He fought horribly. I was surpised that when Shaun George connected Chris looked like he was hurt just as badly as when Wladimir hit him. He was walking like guys do when they are badly hurt and his eyes looked very glazed.

He was absolutely not any more energetic than when he fought 40 lbs heavier. His defense looked terrible. I really felt bad for the guy and hope he hangs it up. He displayed all the signs (to me, and im no expert) of a gy that has been hit too much. He's still an intelligent guy, he would do well as a commentator. He had an Extreme Couture shirt on, hope he does not try mma. A headkick would not be good for him.

Saying all that, I don't want to take away from Shaun George. He looked really sharp and he's no slouch.

Anyone else watch this? and what did you think?

I watched it and Chris needs to retire.

He used to be very good, but he went done hill fast. Wlad gave him a beating, the other Russian gave him a beating, and tonight he took a beating.

He just doesn't have it anymore. He needs to stop before he is seriously hurt.

When Shaun dropped Chris in the first i knew right then his fighting career was done.

[stevequalude]

enough said with RETIRE

[Splandman]

Looks like his wife agrees:

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Byrd passes out, hospitalized!
Wife promises he won't fight again

In a scary moment, an unconscious former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd was rushed to a Las Vegas hospital Friday night shortly after his shocking and unexpected KO loss to Shaun George. Byrd reportedly became unresponsive when a combination of valium and morphine were administered in his dressing room to relieve pain from a dislocated shoulder. Happily he was later revived and released from Valley Hospital. It appears, however, that the loss to George may have been the 37-year-old Byrd's last fight. "I'm not letting him fight anymore," Byrd's wife Tracey told fight scribe Tim Smith. And should Byrd have any notion of boxing again, Tracey warned, "He would have to try to do it without my support, and I don't think he wants to do that!"

Saturday, May 17 2008

[Salvy_Mic]

Yeah, Byrd is done and shouldn't even think about fighting anymore. And his wife also happens to be his manager, so if she says no, then that's that. I don't want to see him get hurt any further.

Say what you might about his potentially unentertaining fighting style, but when the shit hit the fan, Byrd was no runner. He would stand and fight when he had to, sometimes to his own detriment, and he was sometimes too tough for his own good. I think all his losses have come by KO or stoppage too. I wish him well though, Byrd was one of the genuinely good guys in the sport.

[dorianb]

I felt really bad for Byrd. I didn't follow his career a lot, but I did see a few of his fights and knew of his accomplishments.

I agree with Dork, when he got knocked down in the first round, I knew it was all down hill from there. I had a feeling it would be that way before the fight even started. The way he was hoping to make the weight drop be the spark to re-ignite his career, I had a feeling he would be derailed.

I just hated to see him beat in that way with a highlight reel KO. He should retire and hopefully he doesn't take managerial rights away from his wife. He needs to be safe. Another title is not worth permanent damage. But he gets much respect for such a big weight drop and at least trying again.