Four top heavyweights battle for the chance to take Vladimir Klitschko's IBF belt.
This Saturday, October 27, in Erfurt, Germany, Chris Byrd battles Alexander Povetkin in the first of three fights to determine the next challenger to IBF Heavyweight Champion Vladimir Klitschko's crown. The second fight of this mini-tournament features Calvin Brock vs. Eddie Chambers at a later date.
The 37-year-old Byrd (40-3-1, 21 KO's) is, by far, the more experienced professional of the two. He is a former WBO and IBF champion and has beaten a host of marquee names: Vitali Klitschko (Vladimir's brother), David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Fres Oquendo and Andrew Golota, among others. In contrast, Povetkin's professional record is a spartan 13-0 (10) with the only notable name being a 40-year-old Larry Donald. But that's just part of the story.
Povetkin (28) won a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece to cap off an amateur career that included gold medals in the 2002 and 2004 Pan American Games and at the 2003 World Amateur Championships. He finished his amateur career with a 125-7 record.
Byrd racked up a few trinkets of his own during an amateur career that earned him 275 victories and culminated with a silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The difference is--and it's a big one--that Byrd fought as a middleweight during his amateur days. The first time he laced up the gloves for money he weighed 169.
Byrd's success amongst the big men is due to his hand-speed, upper body movement, and his knowledge of the game. He is a boxing junkie and a regular in the crowd at big fights--and small ones. His only losses were against Ike Ibeabuchi--a frightfully heavy puncher who knocked Byrd out in the fifth round of an otherwise even fight--and Vladimir Klitschko, who has beaten Byrd twice, once by decision and once by 7th round TKO.
The six-two Povetkin has a height advantage over the six-foot Byrd along with a weight advantage (Byrd averages 212 for his fights while Povetkin tips the scales closer to 230) and gets the nod in age too as he is nearly a decade younger. Byrd's experience and boxing skills, and Povetkin's physical advantages add up to a competitive fight.
In spite of Povetkin's glittering credentials, if Byrd were in his prime this fight would be easy to pick. The Byrd of yesteryear was just too slippery to get caught by Povetkin and his hand-speed would have had him tied in knots before the final bell. But in the year 2007 Povetkin has a good chance to beat Byrd and may prove to be the betting favorite come fight time. Since the fight is in Germany he will certainly enjoy home field (ring) advantage.
Many fans are rooting for Povetkin because they simply want to see some fresh blood rule the division, while those who root for Byrd do it because he is a genuinely decent guy who has never ducked anyone and they want to see him get the opportunity to redeem himself against Klitschko. Eddie Chambers and Calvin Brock will be watching. There's a fellow named Klitschko that might be interested, too.
Statistics: BoxRec.com
