Chris Byrd

Chris Cornelius Byrd (born August 15, 1970) is an American former professional boxer. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBO and IBF titles, as well as scoring notable wins over former champions Vitali Klitschko and Evander Holyfield.

Early life

Chris Byrd was the youngest of eight children growing up in Flint, Michigan. He began boxing at age 5, training in his father (Joe Sr.)'s Joe Byrd Boxing Academy. His father continued to train and manage Byrd as a professional. Byrd attended Flint Northwestern High School.

Amateur career

Byrd began competing in the ring at age 10, and compiled an impressive 275 wins in the amateur ranks. He was a three-time U.S. amateur champion (1989, 1991, and 1992). He was on the 1991 U.S. National boxing Team that became the first (and only) U.S. team to score a tie against the heralded Cuban team. Byrd won the silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympics as a middleweight, losing to Cuba's Ariel Hernández in the final.

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Top 10 Longest Reigning Heavyweight Champions in History

WBN 25 Mar 2025
Share on Facebook. Share on X (Twitter). Share on Pinterest. Share on LinkedIn. Share on Reddit. Share on WhatsApp. Share on Email ... 10 ... 9 ... 8 ... Claiming the IBF crown from Chris Byrd in 2006, Klitschko seemed to be unbeatable until Tyson Fury came along in 2015.
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