Chris Byrd (40-5-1) looked great at the weigh-in after dropping 40 pounds and moving down to light heavyweight. Unfortunately, that look did not translate into good results in the ring as the former heavyweight champ was stopped in nine rounds by Shaun George (17-2-2). Byrd was dropped in round one and staggered in round two as he was unable to avoid the straight rights coming from George. After two more knockdowns in the ninth, referee Jay Nady mercifully called a halt to the action at the 2:45 mark. Byrd landed awkwardly on the first knockdown in the ninth and appeared to injure his left shoulder. George looked sharp throughout and was well on his way to a decision victory as he was leading 79-72 on all three cards at the time of the stoppage.

It's tough to tell whether Byrd's awful performance was a result of being drained after losing all that weight or whether - at 37 and after years of absorbing punishment from significantly larger men - Byrd is a shot fighter. Either way, it was sad to watch as the former champ had nothing left to offer but heart and could be seen apologizing to his corner and family after the bout. Byrd has had a very good career - especially considering he was campaigning above his natural weight despite possessing almost zero punching power - but it was obvious to everyone watching that it's time for him to hang up the gloves. Byrd did not speak to reporters after the fight, but he's a smart guy ... hopefully he comes to the same conclusion.

Lots of televised boxing to choose from this weekend, including two pay-per-view cards going head-to-head -- neither of which has a big name star.

On Friday night on ESPN2, former heavyweight champ Chris Byrd (40-4-1) moves all the way down to light heavyweight to take on Shaun George (16-2-2). The undercard includes Koba Gogoladze (20-2) vs. Ji-Hoon Kim (13-5) in a super featherweight bout.

On Saturday on PPV from Durango, Mexico, it's Cristian Mijares (34-3-2) vs. Alexander Munoz (32-2) with the WBA and WBC super flyweight titles on the line and Humberto Soto (44-6-2) vs. Francisco Lorenzo (32-4) for the vacant interim WBC super featherweight title.

Also on Saturday, also on PPV, also from Mexico (Aguascalientes), you've got fan favorite Jorge Arce (48-4-1) taking on Devid Lookmahanak (18-1) at super featherweight. Also, Jorge Solis (34-1-2) vs. Miguel Roman (25-2) at featherweight.

Finally, if you don't want to pay for either of the above two cards on Saturday night, HBO offers the following: light middleweights James Kirkland vs. (21-0) vs. Eromosele Albert (21-1); super featherweights Yuriorkis Gamboa (9-0) vs. Darling Jimenez (23-2-2); and light middleweights Alfredo Angulo (12-0) vs. Richard Gutierrez (24-1). Gamboa is the one to watch on this card. The 26-year-old from Cuba is one of the most exciting prospects in all of boxing and may be a future opponent for either Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez.

Scratch Shane Mosley vs. Zab Judah off your list of fights to watch in the near future. The fight, scheduled for May 31, has been canceled due to an arm injury suffered by Judah. What was originally called a "training camp injury" has now been reported as multiple severe lacerations on his right forearm - requiring 50 stitches - after Judah slipped in his Las Vegas bathroom and, in attempt to brace himself, put his arm through a glass shower door. Maybe that's what happened. Maybe not. Either way, the injury will prevent Judah from training for at least four weeks. An attempt will be made to reschedule the bout at a later date.

In other canceled/postponed fight news, heavyweight beltholder Ruslan Chagaev withdrew from his scheduled May 31 rematch with former champ Nikolay Valuev due to a viral laryngitis and pharyngitis or, in less medical terms, "a highly feverish viral infection of the upper respiratory tract with heavy symptoms". Chagaev's second title defense has been rescheduled for July 5.

Tune-up fights sometimes go horribly wrong. Not this time. Steve Forbes got the shot against Oscar De La Hoya because he was expected to give De La Hoya competitive rounds but pose almost no threat to actually win the fight ... and that's exactly what he did.

De La Hoya scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Forbes at the Home Depot Center Soccer Stadium in Carson, CA. Forbes was never hurt or in danger of being knocked down for the first time in his pro career, but everything he can do in the ring, Oscar can do better. Unlike most De La Hoya fights that go the distance, there was no drama awaiting the official scorecards. Two judges gave Forbes a round; the third had it a shutout: 119-109, 119-109 and 120-108.

If all goes according to plan on Oscar's farewell tour, the Golden Boy's next bout will be a September rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Beating a "Contender" is one thing ... beating a world class champion is another. Since decisioning Ike Quartey in 1999, De La Hoya has defeated all the "solid pros" he has faced (Oba Carr, Derrell Coley, Arturo Gatti, Javier Castillejo, Fernando Vargas, Yori Boy Campas, Felix Sturm, Ricardo Mayorga and Forbes), but has come up short against every elite-level opponent (Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley twice, Bernard Hopkins and Mayweather).