22.04.06 – By Chris Ireland: Last night in Germany, Wladimir Klitschko Mannheim steam-rolled Chris Byrd to once again become a heavyweight champion and make the biggest statement any heavyweight has all year. Klitschko silenced critics who said too much had changed since Klitschko’s win over Byrd in 2000, when “The Steel Hammer” was considered the future of the heavyweight division. Read on to see how Klitschko did it!
Round 1
They paw with the jab. Byrd lands a left to the body. They paw again. Another left to the body by Byrd. Wlad jabs. Another left to the body by Byrd, and a right. Wlad pumps the jab. His first punches landed of the fight. Another left to the body by Byrd. Good 1-2 by Byrd. Jab to the body by Klitschko. Jab from Wlad, now one from Byrd. More pawing with the jabs. Wladimir lands a jab, Byrd responds with one of his own. Byrd misses a 1-2. Tactical round, Byrd seemed to be the aggressor and won the round with body punching.
Byrd 10 Klitschko 9
Round 2
Wlad paws wit the jab, then lands a sort left to the body. He wants to keep this fight on the outside, that much is for sure. Byrd lands a left of his own. Wlad throws the hook, then lands a jab. Another left hook from Wlad. Klitschko pushes Byrd away with the left. Still nothing big landed from either man. Wlad lands a nice jab, then throws the left hook. Nice straight right from Wladimir. He’s starting to get his offense going now. Straight left from Byrd. Wlad sticks the jab. Wlads moving around the ring well, keeping Byrd on the outside. Another right from Wlad. That one was solid. Byrd sticks out his tongue and misses a left to the body. Wlad is peppering him with short jabs and left hooks now. Wlad clinches and smothers Byrd a couple of times. Another right by Wlad. Left hook from Klitschko. The momentum is going Wlad’s way now. Solid round for Klitschko.
Byrd 19 Klitschko 19
Round 3
Byrd fires a couple of shots to the body, and Wlad clinches. Byrd lands a left, but Klitschko lands two jabs in a row. Wlad pushes Byrd around with the left, then lands a hook. Byrd lands a jab. Wlad responds with a couple of lefts, the two right hands. Nice body shot by Byrd. Another straight left from Byrd. Wlad smothers him again. Byrd seems to want to invest in the body and hope Wlad tires out later. Wlad clinches again. Byrd misses with a big left. He’s more aggressive this round. Wlad misses with the left then clinches. Wlad lands a jab then clinches again. Nice 1-2 upstairs from Klitschko. Two mire nice right hands from Wlad. Big right hand! Byrd smiles. Wlad fires another combo upstairs, but misses with those and clinches. He’s probably won the round with this offensive outburst. Byrd tries to grab Klitschko but Wlad pushes him away. Wlad’s late rally won him the round easily.
Byrd 28 Klitschko 29
Round 4
Wlad lands a nice jab. Byrd lands one as well, then misses a couple of rights to the body. Nice 1-2 from Wlad. Byrd responds with a left to the body. Wlad lands a jab, then paws with a left. Wlad lands a short left hook. Nice 1-2 from Wlad. Byrd shakes his head. Nice right hand from Wlad. Byrd smiles again. They clinch. Wlad misses a right hand. Another clinch. Byrd lands a right to the body then a jab upstairs. Nice straight right, then another from Klitschko. Two solid punches there. Wlad smothers him. Jab to the body from Wlad. Wladimir’s using the left to push Byrd around. Byrd holds and throws body punches. Another round from Klitschko.
Byrd 37 Klitschko 39
Round 5
Wlad lands a jab to the body. Wlad pumps the jab this time. Byrd lands a right to the body. Klitschko pumps the jab again. Byrd lands another jab. WOA. HUGE right hand from Wlad sent Byrd falling to the canvas. His nose is bloody. Up at the count of eight. Wlad rushes him. Byrd’s stuck on the ropes. Wlad’s firing combos upstairs, firing both rights and lefts. Big right hand. A couple of uppercuts and a HUGE LEFT HOOK. Byrd buckles. A big straight right hand from Klitschko. Byrd’s still stuck on the ropes. Another huge right from Klitschko! Byrd actually lands a big left hook, but Wlad keeps coming. Byrd can’t get off the ropes. The crowd’s going nuts. Two big straight rights from Wlad, then a left hook. A minute to go in the round, and Byrd’s STILL on the ropes. Wlad rests for a second. Sharp right hand from Klitschko, then another. Another right from Wlad, then a left hook. Byrd seems to have weathered the storm. Klitschko lands a jab and straight right. One more big straight right from Wlad. HUGE round for Klitschko.
Byrd 45 Klitschko 49
Round 6
Klitschko pumps the jab. Byrd seems to have his legs under him. Wlad lands a nice straight right and follows it up with a jab. Another straight right for Klitschko, then he pushes Byrd back with the left. Byrd’s not moving his head at all. Wlad’s landing at will now. Klitschko lands a couple big straight rights and a left hook upstairs. Another nice straight right from Wlad. 1-2 from Klitschko. Byrd lands a right to the body. A couple of jabs from Klitschko. Byrd lands a left upstairs, then blocks a Klitschko right hand. Jab from Byrd. Jab from Klitschko, and another. Make it three in a row. Wlad misses a right hand, then misses with another. Wlad moves his head out of the way of a Byrd Jab. Wlad lands a left hook, Byrd responds with a left and they clinch.
Byrd 54 Klitschko 59
Round 7
Wlad runs across the ring at Byrd. He paws with the jab, then doubles up on two solid ones. Right to the body from Byrd. Wlad lands a HUGE right hand, and another! HUGE RIGHT HOOK FROM KLITSCHKO! Byrd collapses to the canvas again! Byrd gets up quickly, but his left eye is a bloody mess. Wayne Kelly has seen enough. Very good dominant performance by Klitschko. He’s made the heavyweight statement of the year with that performance.
Klitschko defeats Byrd via 7th Round TKO to win the IBF Heavyweight Title.