22.04.06 – by Kent Appel: The Steel Hammer Wladimir Klitschko dominated almost every round in this fight held in Mannheim, Germany with very effective use of the right hand lead to the head in most rounds which led to a spectacular seventh round knockout of Chris Byrd of at 41 seconds of the round to win the IBF heavyweight title from Byrd and the vacant IBO title as well. Klitschko improves his record to 46-3, 41 by KO while Byrd falls to 39-3-1, 20 by KO..
Klitschko, 241 pounds, out of Hamburg, Germany by way of Ukraine came out at a measured pace in round number one scoring with some left jabs but not much else while Byrd, 213 1/2 pounds out of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, a southpaw, in what would turn out to be his best round of the fight, landed some left hands to the body as well as some right jabs of his own. I saw this round as being even as neither fighter showed dominance in this opening stanza.
Klitschko became more active in round number two by working well with his left jab and by landing a hard right lead early in the round, shaking up Byrd in the process. Klitschko also landed some more right hand leads and some left hooks in this round as well. Byrd didn’t land many clean shots in this round, advantage Klitschko. That first right hand lead, shades of things to come in the fight, was the first of many that would become the dominant weapon in the fight.
Round number three started out at a slow pace but the pace picked up in the second half of the round. Klitschko again landed the more effective punches scoring with the jab, right hand leads to the head and a couple of combinations to the head, one right/left combination and one left/right combination. Byrd let his hands go more in this round scoring with some right hands to the body, some right jabs to the head, some lefts to the body, and a straight left hand to the head but they were not enough to offset Klitschko’s advantage.
The trend continued in round number four with Klitschko landing some solid left/right combinations to the head, some left hooks, some more hard right leads to the head, as well as continued effective use of the left jab. Byrd’s did land some right jabs to the head of Klitschko but they in no way turned the rising tide of Klitschko’s offense, which seemed to be increasing in every round.
A knockdown of Byrd from a right hand lead by Klitschko, that was set up by his fine left jab at about the one minute mark of round number five signaled the beginning of what would be the end of the fight for Byrd two rounds later as Byrd didn’t have an answer for Klitschko’s continued pressure. Klitschko pummeled Byrd for the remainder of the round with two handed combinations to the head, first in a corner and than in the middle of the ring, where Byrd had tried to escape to regroup.
In round number six Byrd did land a few largely ineffective right jabs but they did little to offset Klitschko’s increasing advantage of jabs, right hand leads to the head, and some more left/right combinations to the head.
Round number seven started with Klitschko landing a couple of left jabs to the head that set up a couple of hard right hand leads to the head, the last of which deposited Byrd on the canvas for the second and last time in the fight. Byrd arose on wobbly legs but with a bad cut above his left eye and the referee wisely stepped in and stopped the fight awarding the fight to Klitschko by knockout.
I had thought this fight would be more competitive than their first meeting but it turned out Klitschko looked the best he has in the last few years and Bryd had no answer for Klitschko’s two handed assault. Byrd, normally a fine defensive fighter, again as in their first fight, could not get out of the way of Klitschko’s punches. The lack of head movement on Byrd’s part was puzzling but even if he had used more head movement, I am not sure he would come out on top as he just doesn’t match up well with Klitschko.
What is next for these two fighters? Wladimir Klitschko’s career has been reborn and he may once again, after some set backs and some lackluster performances, be the rising star in the heavyweight division. While Chris Byrd should consider the possibility of retirement and even though this one side loss had a lot to do with his bad stylistic match up with Klitschko, he has been in several wars in his recent fights and there is no reason for such an articulate man to risk permanent injury. Byrd has had a fine career and he has a lot to be proud of so maybe he should just leave it at that.