UGTBK...I completely understand the point that some posters pick "old-timers" in every single match-up ever... But does that mean you are now going to pick "modern" fighters every single time just to over-compensate? If I do an Elijah Tillery - Joe Louis MM, will you pick Tillery? :: Or is this your real pick in an easy dominant decision?
I may exaggerate a bit sometimes, but yes, this is my true pick. Byrd is the bigger guy in there so he could push Dempsey off when necessary and his infighting skills are so much better than those of 20s that I can't really see this being competitive
Can you point out one instance of Byrd fighting inside effectively? Also - many of those that think like you do consistently point out how "old-time" fighters grappled and clinched and did battle inside so much... So how are infighting skills now (especially those of Byrd) better? I do agree that skills today on average have improved....but man, when we look at that footage we must be seeing different things, because I see alot of things about Dempsey you're underrating in this match-up...severely. Also - what is your obssession with size? Chris is not significantly bigger - and to boot, bigger doesn't always mean you can "easily" push off opposition. Ask Joe Frazier's opponents. And since when has Byrd been physical - at all? Peace.
I don't know what you mean. He usually does fight close, he isn't jab and move type of a fighter. Apart from Ibeabuchi and Povetkin, who has outfought him up close? Holyfield, Tua etc have tried Byrd slips punches much better than anyone in those old tapes, he is considerably fast etc: They are his strengths fighting at close quarters. Techniques have developed I really can't see it. He looks good against his timers, but so did Jesse Owens. To me, he doesn't do anything spectacular for a cruiseweight fighter My "problem" is that he wouldn't even get a lisence to fight as a heavyweight these days. Why is that if size doesn't matter at all? Also apart from Willard and Firpo (who were poor technicians) he usually was bigger than his opponent. Byrd weighs clearly more than him and is very trimmed at hat weight. he can't be against monster-size heavies. Neither could Dempsey if he appeared today
Please. Byrd arguably lost to Fres Oquendo. Byrd isn't the master boxer people try to pretend he is. Dempsey by decision.
:: That's not infighting, Ugo...and you know it. Castillo; Hatton = infighting. Tua tried fighting Byrd inside? Really? Have you seen that fight recently? ANd btw....Holyfield - and OLD-ASS Holyfield - didn't try that either. What the Willard and Firpo fights should tell you is that size differential would not be that much of a problem for Dempsey....especially against a guy who is the same height and really only outweighs Jack by 15-20 lbs. at best....and a guy who does NOT impose his size (Byrd). How do you figure that Dempsey was "usually bigger" than his opponent? Smith, Morris, Brennan, Fulton, Drake, Willard, Firpo were significantly bigger.....Tunney and Sharkey (among others) were his same size and weight. And you're not talking a big differential here at ALL if you're talking HWTs. And Byrd is most definitely not "trimmed" at HWT. What Dempsey brings is strength, serious power, short, chopping shots, relentlessness, high workrate, and the ability to continue to swing, maul, swing and fight no matter what he looks like, round after round, keeping his stamina and power. Byrd isn't going to have room to do much of anything...and he's got nothing to keep Dempsey off of him. Dempsey wasn't a "calculating" boxer....he was on you in a heartbeat and stayed there, and shortened his very fast punches to great effect....and he did not care how he looked doing it. Peace.
