NEW YORK -- Chris Byrd may have upset David Tua on Saturday to become the mandatory challenger for the International Boxing Federation's crown, but he might be well advised not to hold his breath for a title shot.

Byrd's unanimous decision over the Samoan from New Zealand puts him in line to fight the winner of the Nov. 17 title bout between IBF and World Boxing Council champion Hasim Rahman and former champion Lennox Lewis.

But that line very likely will be slow moving for the 31-year-old Byrd, a left-hander who used his slick boxing skills and right jab to pile up points and frustrate the hard-hitting Tua in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

"I feel I can challenge anyone right now for the heavyweight title," Byrd said after beating Tua and raising his record to 34-2.

Probably the main reason Byrd should not count on fighting for the title anytime soon is Mike Tyson, the former champion who looms over everything concerning the heavyweights.

The big money fight for the winner of Rahman-Lewis is against Tyson, who is certainly not the fighter he was when he terrorized the heavyweight ranks in the late 1980s and early 90s, but is still a big drawing card, especially for a title fight.

Speculation is that Tyson's handlers are aiming for him to fight the Rahman-Lewis winner next April.

In that case, it does not make much financial sense to risk that payday against Byrd, whose boxing skills can make anyone look bad.

Aside from that, "he'll put you to sleep, he's so boring," said Bert Sugar, a noted boxing historian and analyst.

"People want to see heavyweights because they knock people out. Byrd does not knock people out. And he's not a recognizable name.

"Slickness works in the lighter weight classes," Sugar said on Sunday.

"But we're in an era now when we have to have everything with a 'Bam!' at the end of it. Byrd is a technician, he'll pitty-pat the hell out of you."

Another reason Byrd will be avoided is that he is left-handed, which makes many fighters uncomfortable because they rarely fight southpaws.

Sugar said that the IBF rules for its mandatory challenger to fight for the title within 120 days of earning that right is almost certainly not going to be the case with Byrd.

There also is the possibility that Byrd could accept "step aside" money to suspend his claim to fight for the title within 120 days in return for a promise for a later title shot against the winner of a championship bout involving Tyson.

The other distinct possibility, especially in boxing, is that Byrd rejects the "step aside" money and insists on his rightful place on the line to get a title shot.

Then, once again, boxing will find itself in a courtroom.