Ike for president?

[Max Power]

Yeah for his stamina and strength, did did not have the best defence! That's true. But to trade with Tua a full 12 rounds like that, must have an amazing chin!!

[Spicoli]

Ike gets pretty trumped up based largely on 2 fights. He obviously had physical quality but the damage he took with Tua helped his already in motion mental decline. I doubt seriously he had the mental make up to grind it out without a Holyfield among others.

[El Kabong]

Yeah for his stamina and strength, did did not have the best defence! That's true. But to trade with Tua a full 12 rounds like that, must have an amazing chin!!

I watched that fight and Ike was the first to start BOXING meaning he figured out he wasn't going to outslug Tua and once Ike did box a bit more he did all the better in the fight.

I just think that when he was given an opponent who was exceptional at 1 thing he could figure a way around that. Against Byrd he slugged his way out of a jam vs Tua he boxed a little but if he was to fight someone who offered BOTH like Holyfield or Lewis then who knows how he would have handled it? Also how was his footwork? Nobody knows because nobody made him use it. Nigerian heavies are often slow afoot.

I think Evander would have had a tough time early on but as the rounds went on and Evander stood in the pocket Ike would wear down sure enough. Lennox would use his roughhouse tactics on Ike and utilize his height and reach to keep Ike from retaliating and Lennox would at the very least win a decision.

Nigerian heavyweights have a tendency to have big power and SEEMINGLY quick hands but if you line them all up once they get to the very tip top level their hand speed is less than average and their punches are a bit wide, and they take too much punishment.

When I say "Nigerian heavyweights" I am speaking about: Samuel Peter, David Izon, Friday Ahunaya, Duncan Dokiwari, Teke Oruh, and Gbenga Oloukun. Ike Ibeabuchi is always left out because he had half a career, we never got to see him struggle vs the tip top of the division because he never fought there...he fought CLOSE to the top but not on the peak. Ike was at the very least a great contender and at the very most a shocking power puncher....but greatness? Who is to say if he could break the stereotype of Nigerian heavyweights. I will say that Ike was probably the greatest heavyweight Nigeria ever produced, he'd just edge out Sam Peter for that based on POTENTIAL rather than achievements because Sam achieved more.

[Master]

Ike had all the talent in the world but he was severely mentally ill so eventually he would have been sectioned, arrested or killed.

[greynotsoold]

As I recall that fight, Tua never really nailed him with a big left hook. David had a tendency to wait and load up, not letting his punches flow. So a little movement could unsettle him. He wasn't that hard to fight if you could stick to it...which could be hard to do given the knowledge of how hard he could hit you.
Byrd and Tua are both real limited guys, in terms of what they offered, very one dimensional. And Ike had Hedgeman Lewis -Curtis Cokes?- I have always confused them, but either one, they are both very boxing smart, so they could teach a guy to get around an opponent that didn't offer much adaptability.
A test would have been how he got around the reach of Lewis, how he handled getting hit trying to get in. Lewis, and some of these other guys, I don't think they offer much beyond physical advantages. Their overall skill level isn't too good, though knowing how to use your advantages is worth a lot.

[El Kabong]

If you want to figure out just how Ike Ibeabuchi could get overrated just imagine if Sam Peter's last ever fight was against Jeremy Williams......it changes the perspective drastically.

[Beanflicker]

Ibeabuchi will go down as another tragic "what if". Nobody can know for sure.

He was a big strapping guy with a big punch, a solid chin and a lot of heart. And he was undoubtedly had some nice skills to go along with it.

Would he have continued to refine his skills and gone on to greatness? Or would he have fizzled out like so many promising prospects before and after him?

We'll never know. Like Tony Ayala Jr, he decided he'd rather spend his prime in a jail cell, rather than trying to realise his potential. It's a shame.

[FinitoElDinamita]

IKe would have beat the Clits for sure. He would have beat everybody except for maybe Lewis..

[Max Power]

I seen Ike wither from a few of Tua's blows and I seen him frustrated by Byrd before he struck it rich. So there is merit in what one man above claimed.

Any claims he could have been the greatest is pure speculation of course which is why I don't rank him anywhere silly but I atleast think he is better than Samuel Peter who gave Wlad a hard fight.

[El Kabong]

IKe would have beat the Clits for sure. He would have beat everybody except for maybe Lewis..

Oh would he have? And what do you base that prediction on besides Ike's fights vs Byrd and Tua?

If you look at Wlad fight Byrd I or II he NEVER struggled with Byrd at all the way Ike did. And vs Tua Ike brawled for a bit but he was the one whose constitution weakened and he decided he had better start boxing.

Also Holyfield would have schooled Ike because he would have stayed in the pocket, shoulder rolled and countered everything Ike threw at him and Evander would have never given him a moments rest.