25 years ago, what the boxing experts-at least in Germany-had thought that the boxing experts had been impossible. The so far unbeaten co-giant Vitali Klitschko lost his heavyweight WBO World Cup on the ‘little’ American Chris Byrd. The defeat should significantly shape Klitschko’s career.
The 5,700 spectators at the Berlin Estrel Convention Center must have occurred like a bad April joke. And HBO commentator Larry Merchant could also “hardly believe what I saw” in the late evening of April 1, 2000.
Vitali Klitschko, 2.01 meters, WBO champion in heavyweight, in 27 fights ko-winner, had given up against challenger Chris Byrd (1.88 meters) just before the gong for the 10th round-despite a clear lead.
Vitali Klitschko’s hardest hour: a giant shrinks
The scene still seems unreal after 25 years: As coach Fritz Sdunek in the ring corner says: “He can no longer, it is over.” How Klitschko rises from his stool – starred, helpless, a shrunk giant. How the referee waves a jubilee attack at the end of the day and winner Byrd.
The hall was understandably flabbergasted – and the unbeliever merchant rumbled.
“He does not have the mentality of a champion. I am speechless. Everything he had to do was still a few laps to stop, play defensively and win the fight,” the commentator veteran drew into his microphone.
Indeed: Vitali Klitschko would have had to bring three rounds against the technically excellent, but not particularly impossible to beat Byrd and he would have remained world champion.
The three points of the three points was “Dr. Eisenfaust” at the front at the time of the demolition (twice 88:83, once 89:82). Nevertheless, Sdunek and Klitschko pulled the emergency brake. In the award -winning documentary “Klitschko” (2011), Vitali said years later that he could hardly see any more pain.
Box heroes never give painful shoulder injury to vs.
“Health is going on,” said Sdunek, after the bankruptcy, the decision was made. The trainer was based on the medical bulletin, who attested the Ukrainian a crack in the rotator cuff of the left shoulder.
The fact that Vladimir Klitschko was in a hurry and emphasized that “without a left arm is not against a legal interpreter (Byrd is left-handed, d.Red),” the US delegation in Berlin, of course, no longer itch as little as the medical certificate of the fist doctor.
At HBO and the American boxing fans, Klitschko was now considered a “quitter”, as a non-fighter who gets out as soon as it gets painful. The worst sin ever in fist fight.
Only the hard ones come to the box Olympus: like Muhammad Ali, who fought several rounds with broken jaws against Ken Norton in 1972. Like Harry Greb, who terrorized the middleweight with the eyesight of an eye in the early 20th century. Like Jake Lamotta, who at the “St. Valentins massacre” of February 14, 1952 kept his ÖMMe the fists of Sugar Ray Robinson until the referee pityed up.
Nothing turned out of Klitschko’s Tyson fight
The towel throw against Byrd came for Klitschko’s then career planning at the time. The WBO world champion was supposed to fight against box icon Mike Tyson in 2000, who at that time cited the ranking of the three-fleet organization.
Merchant and the HBO-Tross had only traveled to Berlin to present the Ukrainian to the 28 million subscribers to the Pay TV channel at the time. Pust cake.
After the Berlin-Debakel, Klitschko was away from the scene, Vladimir took the place of the Klitschko hopeful wearer (and reciprocated for the big brother to Byrd in the same year).
Legendary fight against Lennox Lewis was straight
It was not until 2003 that Vitali restored his reputation in the United States – fundamentally. On June 21, he challenged the undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles. Despite Lewis’ advanced age of 37 years, Klitschko was a blatant outsider. Experts like betting providers had not forgotten the defeat against Byrd.
In the Staples Center, Vitali Klitschko fought like an obsessed one on that Juni evening. And that despite the fact that Lewis in round 3 cut the skin over the left eye in such a way that three fingers could have been put in the wound.
With Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko fought a legendary ring battle in 2003
The scene is unforgettable, as the blood -over -flowed Klitschko in round 6 inserted a monstrous right -wing hook from Lewis and continues as if nothing had been. From “Dr. Eisenfaust” became “Dr. Eisenkinn” in the city of the angels.
When the referee ended the duel a little later on the advice of the doctor, Klitschko was unless. He would have fought on – until the last drop.
Klitschko lost the fight in LA, but he “won the event”, the hearts of the fans, as the HBO crew stated this time full of respect.
“He would never have given up a second time”
“He learned from the Byrd fight,” commented coaching legend Teddy Atlas later in the boxing Bible “The Ring” Klitschko’s heart and heroic idea: “He learned what it means when a fighter stops behaving and giving up. Has.
If you ask fans and experts today about memories of Vitali Klitschko’s career, the answer is: Lennox Lewis, the cut, the blood. Very few remember the 1st April 2000.