Following an incredibly successful 16-year professional career, Chris Byrd certainly knows what he is talking about when it comes down to the topic of boxing.

In an industrious career which saw him become an Olympic silver medallist, hold bouts with Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Ike Ibeabuchi and Alexander Povetkin to name a few, the 47-year-old has a voice of reason in which you would be stupid to argue with.

Making a shock early entrance to the professional game, weighing undersized at 169 pounds, Byrd became reliant on his technical ability, as well as utilising the previously not thought of skills of defence and intelligence.

Proving a difficult opponent to beat, Byrd's opponents would just be getting used to his movement, flow and rhythm before he would suddenly strike you with a blow.

And Byrd did exactly that when he revealed who he believes is the scariest current boxer in the heavyweight division.

“In this four-man tournament – (Anthony) Joshua, (Deontay) Wilder, the Cuban (Luis Ortiz) and (Joseph) Parker – the Cuban is still the scariest of the whole bunch,” Byrd says.

“That’s who I worried about for Joshua and Wilder. He’s the guy I still worry about for Joshua and Wilder.

“He’s an old man but he’s big, he’s left-handed, he’s smart, he’s seasoned and he knows the Cuban style. He’s not the best Cuban, but he’s still good.

“That’s why he gave Deontay Wilder so many problems. He was like, ‘I’m six-four, I’m big, and I’m not worried about this guy because he doesn’t know how to fight.’

“It’s all about experience, technique and seasoning in this generation. If you’ve got that, you can make up a hell of a lot of ground on guys who only have size, athleticism and power.

“Ortiz is a damn 45-year-old man and still has what it takes to give these two top guys hell. That says a lot. Ortiz is an old man, but he knows boxing. He can break it down. He’s got an old face, a chubby body, and he moves slowly. But he knows things these two, Joshua and Wilder, will never know."