Chris Byrd: “I love Muhammad Ali, his talent was undeniable but his character was even more”

Chris ‘Rapid Fire’ Byrd was a former two time heavyweight champion of the world and was known in the ring for his hand speed and awkward style. Byrd retired with a record of 41-5-1 (22KOs) and has since become a boxing trainer. I recently had a chance to speak to Byrd in the light of the great Muhammad Ali’s passing and I got his views on Ali as a fighter and what Ali meant to people outside the ring. Chris also spoke on some of his favorite moments from Ali’s career and how he thinks Ali will be remembered. Here is what Chris Byrd had to say.

Robert Brown: It’s been a week with the passing of Muhammad Ali. Can I get some of your thoughts on ‘The Greatest’?

Chris Byrd: The greatest of all time. Who doesn’t want to be like Ali? Growing up for me, it was Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali. Who doesn’t want to be like the greatest? Not only in the ring, but the social issues outside the ring, and during that time to keep winning and keep fighting at a high level under what he was going through and how things were going in America for African Americans, it’s very impressive.

Ali is the greatest of all time, he not only said he was the greatest but he shook up the world in many fights. He’s just an inspiration to not only black people but for everybody. He was one of a kind and there hasn’t been an athlete to come by like him since.

I got the biggest compliment from him, I was at a boxing show and he didn’t even say anything to me, he just pointed at me. It was after the Olympics, Ferdie Pacheco was Ali’s doctor and he was the commentator for the 1992 Olympics and he compared me and my traits of boxing and he said I looked like Ali, then Ali just pointed at me with a smile, he was just affirming that, “you’re the one, you’re really good.” I had to look behind me to see if he was pointing at me, and he was pointing at me.

It really hurt me and my wife, we were in tears when we heard that he passed away. We knew the Parkinson’s was affecting him more and it was to the point where it was going to take his life, but still, that’s Muhammad Ali, it hurt us. Muhammad Ali is not only the greatest, but everyone knows who Muhammad Ali is in the world, and that’s a proud moment for every boxer.

(Click play to listen to the full Chris Byrd “Ali” interview special)

Robert Brown: Do you think the things Ali did outside of the ring, in terms of promoting peace and civil rights and religious tolerance, make him one of the most important historical figures of the twentieth century?

Chris Byrd: Definitely, and the thing is, a lot of people in this generation don’t even know. They don’t know how much of an influence and how important he was to people and society, and I’m not just talking about boxing, but society in general. He’s a peacemaker, he’s the one who spoke up against injustice.

This is a boxer, and I’m super proud because he comes from my sport. This is a boxer who took a stand against something and spoke out about it. People took what he was saying like it was hate, and it wasn’t hate. He was getting hated on, so he just lashed back to show people all of the injustices that were happening here in the United States.

Ali was a flashy guy, very confident, but he was an Olympic gold medalist, so of course, there’s nothing wrong with that — I felt I was the best when I was boxing. The world took notice when Ali spoke, I don’t care if you loved him or hated him, you noticed what he was talking about and you understood that the man was for real.

Robert Brown: Of all of the incredible moments and achievements by Ali, which one is your favorite?

Chris Byrd: For me it was Sonny Liston, the first one. Sonny Liston was a killer, nobody was going to beat Sonny Liston and you got this young kid — and people don’t realize the kind of skills he was displaying when he fought Sonny Liston. He was that good, he was putting hands on him.

I get goose bumps every time I watch that fight, and people don’t realize how big of a puncher and how scared people were of Sonny Liston, they were scared of him. He was a young Tyson but even scarier because he had beaten better guys than Tyson and then you get this young Ali coming in and beating him not with power but with hand speed and movement.

Robert Brown: What are your thoughts on the George Foreman fight?

Chris Byrd: That’s just as big because you had a young Ali who they said wasn’t really ready for Sonny Liston, and now you got an old Ali who people say he should be retired. He shook up the world again with skills and outsmarted the guy, that’s just pure boxing, it’s incredible. Going against the odds and defeating the odds in these major fights, you gotta give it to him.

Robert Brown: What do you want people to remember the most about Ali?

Chris Byrd: For me it was his funniness, he made people comfortable around him, to me, that’s what he was. My father talked about it, friends of mine who met Ali said that he would do his magic tricks and he was always about laughter, always cracking jokes. I love Ali, his talent was undeniable but his character was even more. It hurts to see a guy like that pass away, but he was the greatest.