MOSCOW, April 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's leading heavyweight boxer Nikolai Valuyev said Monday that America's Chris Byrd had been bluffing in the run-up to his IBF heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko.
Ukrainian Klitschko stopped Byrd in the seventh round with a technical knockout on Saturday during their bout in Mannheim, Germany, and Valuyev was scathing about the American fighter's pre-fight hype.
"All Byrd's words about surprises for Klitschko amounted to empty talk," said WBA champion Valuyev, who watched the fight ringside. "When Byrd appeared in the ring, you could see confusion and even fear in his eyes."
The giant Valuyev, "the Beast from The East", said Klitschko had used perfect tactics, jabbing Byrd with his left in the first two rounds, and changing attacks to the right in the next two rounds using his height advantage.
The 30-year-old and two-meter high Ukrainian knocked Byrd down for the first time in the second round. In the fifth round, Byrd climbed to his feet after being knocked down for the second time, but it was all over in the seventh.
"After the knock down the result was virtually decided," said Valuyev, who became WBA heavyweight champion last December. He also praised Klitschko's patience in the sixth round, when he again used his left jab before launching a strong attack in the seventh that led to the referee stepping in.
