A former heavyweight champion attempted to return to the ring at age 52 after debuting in the sport at 169 pounds.
Refocused on his twilight years, Chris Byrd shed a lot of pounds in an attempt to turn his legendary reign into another middleweight run.
But the former top division champion’s attempt to return to the ring in the 160-pound weight class, fortunately, failed.
A former conqueror of Klitschko, Byrd made his biggest transformation in 2020 after shedding many kilograms in his 50s.
PR announced that the man who held the World Heavyweight Championship would return to the ring after a long series of health challenges in early 2021.
That first attempt fell apart. Months later, Byrd was again linked to a return despite a year since confirmation.
Heavyweight Champion
Then, in early 2022, MG Ring Productions stated that Byrd would face Eric Moon on March 12 in a sanctioned professional bout.
Fortunately for Byrd and the fans, “Rapid Fire” would never trade blows with 30-year-old KO victim Edgar Berlanga.
Byrd enjoyed a career worthy of the Hall of Fame. The first run included wins over two-time WBC reigning champion Vitali Klitschko, former undisputed WBC, WBC, IBF World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and David Tua.
However, Byrd [47-5, 22 KOs] he suffered severe neuropathy and chronic pain from fighting well above his natural weight at the upper limit.
“No one wanted to fight me at middleweight, so I ate the weight to fight the big heavyweights. Because of that, I paid for it. I went through eleven years of suffering.
“A few years ago I couldn’t even separate my feet. The pain in my left leg was so bad that I just wanted to cut it all off some days.
“I had to make drastic changes and decisions to get to where I am today,” Byrd said.
The now 52-year-old looked chiseled and svelte at 163 pounds. However, his age and past problems made returning a bad idea.
Byrd’s transformation began nearly four years ago when her daughter became engaged to be married.
Weight loss and illness
The thought of not being able to walk her down the aisle hurt Byrd as he was willing to do or try anything that could help improve his condition and let him be there for those he loved.
He changed his eating habits: he stopped consuming everything he was allergic to (wheat, sugar and dairy) and switched to a plant-based diet.
A chance encounter with a medical cannabis expert proved particularly fruitful in Byrd’s road to recovery. Byrd began a therapeutic regimen of juicing fresh cannabis leaves and using CBD oil and topicals.
He consumed large hemp hearts as a complete source of protein and essential fatty acids.
Long story short, the fierce pain he’d felt in his left leg and the fatigue he’d struggled with throughout his career began to subside.
Chris Byrd’s Weight Loss
By early 2020, Chris had reached a plateau in his recovery “about two-thirds of the way [he is] today.” Then he discovered Aaron Cameron, director of Club Q360, in Malibu, California.
Cameron is widely known as the husband of movie star and “Real Housewife of Beverly Hills”, Denise Richards. Under Cameron’s guidance, Chris underwent radio and sound frequency treatments to treat his neuropathy.
According to Byrd, these treatments took her healing up a notch: easing her pain and significantly increasing her mobility.
“Aaron is a fantastic person, unique, with a great mind and an expert in radio work and sound frequencies. The doctors had told me that I would need to have my shoulders and hip replaced.
“After my treatments with Aaron, that all changed. Aaron wants to see people heal and care about the people he works with.”
“Chris’ recovery has been nothing short of miraculous,” said Split-T Boxing promoter David McWater. “Seeing where Chris was just a few years ago to where he is now is remarkable.
“It’s an honor to be able to help him on his way.”
Average weight
Considering all he accomplished in his professional career and his dramatic post-career transformation from grappling heavyweight to vibrant, virile middleweight, nothing could stop Chris Byrd’s ambition.
As of September 2021, Byrd still had ambitions to return to the ring. Finally reaching that date in February 2022, Byrd realized what he was doing was a mistake.
It could have ended much worse. His extraordinary efforts to lose his middleweight didn’t have to end in a fight for the former heavyweight champion.
“I want to show people that it’s never too late to achieve your goals and live your dreams. My reflexes are sharp; my strength is phenomenal. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been.
“I feel like I’m ready to get back in the ring. With the help and guidance of Split-T Boxing, I hope to make that happen.”
By September 2022, Byrd had gone public less about his ambitions to fight. His last message to fans was a trip to the Abel Sanchez Summit Camp in Big Bear.
Fortunately, he’s not training for a fight, and it’s still fiction.
Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Threads.
