BOXING: A world heavyweight championship is said to be the most coveted prize in all sport. In the case of the International Boxing Federation title Chris Byrd won by soundly outpointing the venerable Evander Holyfield, we know exactly how much it is worth: $1 million and a Range Rover. From George Kimball in Atlantic City.
That was the modest tribute exacted by Lennox Lewis from the promoter Don King in exchange for giving up the IBF belt. The donor of this largesse was at ringside at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday in his role as analyst for King's international telecast, and watched Byrd enact an impersonation of The Invisible Man.
Byrd was matador to Holyfield's bull but, though thoroughly frustrated by the new champion's will-o'-the-wisp tactics, the 40-year-old Holyfield said he was not yet ready to be put out to pasture.
History will recall Holyfield, four times the heavyweight champion, as one of the most courageous men to ply his brutal trade, but each of his five previous losses, to say nothing of two draws with Lewis and the WBA champion John Ruiz, was accompanied by a litany of excuses and this latest setback was no exception.
Holyfield claimed immediately to have injured his left arm. Half an hour later the malady had become even more severe: a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
"I'm not saying that Evander wasn't (injured) but I certainly saw no evidence during the fight," said Lewis's trainer Emanuel Steward.
"It was more a matter of Chris Byrd thoroughly outboxing him."
The ringside judges scored it 117-111 twice and 116-112 for Byrd.
Persuading Lewis to vacate the IBF title was the first step in what King is billing as a Heavyweight Championship Series. Ostensibly Byrd will meet the World Boxing Association champion - the survivor of Ruiz's defence against the undisputed light-heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr on March 1st. The winner may eventually meet Lewis.
"I'll preside by watching over the tournament," said Lewis. "That's what emperors do. If somebody really shines, well, I'll have to see what's going on. I do believe in fighting the best. Don't give me no small fries. I want the man at the top."
But when asked if that meant he would commit to fighting the winner of King's tournament, Lewis smiled: "Perhaps."
Lewis has been pointed toward an early 2003 defence against Vitali Klitschko but said on Saturday that he had yet to sign, and that if it does happen, it will not be in March, as his London connections had announced previously.
When it was pointed out that not only is Lewis not contractually committed to the idea of a tournament but neither were Byrd, Ruiz or Jones, King had a quick retort. "They're not signed to fight," he said. "But believe me, they will fight."
Ricky Hatton moved a giant step closer to his dream Maine Road date after crushing the brave challenge of Joe Hutchinson in Newcastle on Saturday night.
Manchester City fan Hatton hopes his big domestic tear-up against rival Junior Witter will be the last event to be staged at his beloved stadium next July before it is demolished.
Witter was ringside to watch 24-year-old Hatton successfully defend his WBU light-welterweight title for the eighth time when a sharp left to the body ended Hutchinson's resistance in the fourth round.
The normally amiable Hatton was a picture of frustration after the fight, railing against those who he believes do not afford him the credit he deserves, and even calling Witter out to the car park to prematurely settle their score.
Hatton said:"I read rave reviews every week about Junior Witter who's flattened someone I knocked out two and a half years ago.
"Everything seems to think he's the best thing since sliced bread and I turn over the page and in my report I can't put a foot right."
Joe Calzaghe issued an ultimatum to his fellow 12-stone champions after keeping hold of his WBO super-middleweight in a four-minute mis-match on the same bill.
Calzaghe is quickly tiring of embarrassingly easy wins such as that which he fashioned against out-classed American substitute Tocker Pudwill.
The North Dakotan was down three times before referee Dave Parris stopped the contest 39 seconds into the second round, making Calzaghe's 12th defence of his title his easiest yet.
The unbeaten Welshman (30) insists that if he fails to tempt either undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins or Germany's IBF king Sven Ottke into the ring within six months, he will relinquish his title.
He said: "I've been champion for five years now and I want the big names. The next six months are very important. I'm frustrated at not getting the unification fights and I want to fight against the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
"I want that opportunity and if I don't get it I will seriously consider moving up."
Guardian Service
