19 years ago
Chris Byrd vs Wladimir Klitschko II
Date: 22nd April 2006
Venue: SAP-Arena, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg
Title: IBF World Heavyweight Title
Promoter: Wilfried Sauerland
Tv: HBO & ARD
Chris Byrd
(
39
-
2
-
1
)
Weight: 213½ lbs
Wladimir Klitschko
(
45
-
3
-
0
)
Weight: 241 lbs
Wladimir Klitschko (46-3, 41 KOs) avenged his previous loss to Chris Byrd (39-3-1, 20 KOs) and claimed the IBF and vacant IBO heavyweight titles with a dominant seventh-round TKO victory on April 22, 2006, at the SAP-Arena in Mannheim, Germany. The fight, billed as "Revenge Is The Name Of The Game," showcased Klitschko's improved skills under the tutelage of renowned trainer Emanuel Steward.
Byrd, who was ranked as the best heavyweight in the world by The Ring magazine at the time, had successfully defended his IBF title four times since winning it from Evander Holyfield in 2002. Meanwhile, Klitschko was on a comeback trail after suffering a shocking defeat to Lamon Brewster in 2004. He had won four consecutive fights leading up to the rematch with Byrd.
The two fighters had met in October 2000, with Klitschko winning a unanimous decision despite being knocked down twice during the bout.
From the opening bell, Klitschko flawlessly executed Steward's game plan, utilizing his significant height and reach advantages to keep Byrd at bay. The Ukrainian's powerful left jab and right-hand combinations consistently found their mark, leaving Byrd needing help to mount any meaningful offence.
In the third round, Klitschko caught Byrd with a pair of hard left-right combinations that visibly shook the American champion. Byrd's situation worsened in the fifth round when he was knocked down and subjected to a prolonged barrage of punches from Klitschko. Despite Byrd's best efforts to weather the storm, it was clear that the momentum had shifted entirely in Klitschko's favour.
The end came just 41 seconds into the seventh round when Klitschko landed a devastating right hook that sent Byrd crashing to the canvas for the second time in the fight. Although Byrd beat the count, referee Wayne Kelly had seen enough and waved off the contest, giving Klitschko the technical knockout victory.
With this impressive performance, Klitschko resurrected his career and began a dominant reign as heavyweight champion for over nine years. He would make 18 successful title defences before losing to Tyson Fury in November 2015.
For Byrd, the loss marked the beginning of the end of his career as a top-tier heavyweight. He would fight just four more times, losing to Alexander Povetkin, and briefly return to the light heavyweight division before retiring in 2010 with a record of 41-5-1.
The Klitschko-Byrd rematch also marked the fourth time Emanuel Steward guided a fighter to a heavyweight title, following his successes with Evander Holyfield, Oliver McCall, and Lennox Lewis. Steward's influence on Klitschko's career cannot be overstated. He helped refine the Ukrainian's technique and instill a newfound confidence that would serve him well in the years to come.
Chris Byrd vs Wladimir Klitschko 2 on YouTube
