Ike Ibeabuchi is back?

[C.J.Rock]

I took the opinion he was successful because of his illness. No sane man walks through David Tua's punches. And even then Ike was almost outworked by Tua!

Ibeabuchi was a decent size, good chin and a fair puncher, that probably gets you on to the fringes; top 30/40 in the world. His illness helped him develop a fearless style and took him to the next level and get the fancy on side; without the illness he would of been at best, another 'Duncan Dokiwari' level fighter.

Different countries tend to produce similar styles of boxers with certain style traits that become almost stereotypical.

Looking at Sam Peter, David Izon, Friday Ahunaya, Duncan Dokiwari, etc it seems to me that had Ibeabuchi NOT been a mental case and NOT done the horrible things he did and NOT gone to prison he would have eventually become slow on his feet, slow in delivering his punches, he'd keep a good solid chin, but he'd be limited, a plodding 1 big haymaker at a time power puncher....I think Holyfield would have made him look amateurish, I think Lennox Lewis would have boxed circles around him, and eventually he'd lose to someone shocking like a Michael Grant or Shannon Briggs or Tony Thompson....someone would just catch him at a time where he would be fighting like he just visited a buffet.

That said there was no evidence of him heading that direction other than my seeing that exact same thing happen to the aforementioned fighters all of whom are from Nigeria same as Ike.

Did you ever see Ike fight?? He was nothing like those fighters you mentioned. I saw most of his fights from ringside. Watched Curtis Cokes transform him from a crude brawler to a great boxer puncher. He would have been champ without a doubt

[ykdadamaja]

I don't think much will come of this, but Foreman came back and Amir Mansour is still doing it PLUS Holyfield took an awful long time before he got out of the way. So, who knows?!?! But I doubt anything happens... Would like to see his comeback fight, though.

[El Kabong]

Did you ever see Ike fight?? He was nothing like those fighters you mentioned. I saw most of his fights from ringside. Watched Curtis Cokes transform him from a crude brawler to a great boxer puncher. He would have been champ without a doubt

Yes. I know. And the odds are that Ibeabuchi would have won a version of the title...the fighters I compared him to aren't horrible fighters, they are similar in stature and from the same country and fought in very much the same manner when they were in their primes.

Allow me to provide some examples of their similarities

Ike Ibeabuchi: height: 6'2; reach: 76"; weight: mid 230's to mid 240's; KO%: 75%
Sam Peter: height 6'2; reach 77"; weight: high 240's to mid 250's; KO%: 70%
David Izon: height: 6'3; reach: 83"; weight: mid 220's to 230; KO%: 70%
Friday Ahunaya: height: 6'0 reach: ??; weight: mid 220's to mid 230's; KO%: 36%
Duncan Dokiwari: height 6'4; reach: 80 & 1/2"; weight: mid 230's to low 240's; KO%: 79%

Now each of those fighters started off red hot, they had impressive KO's early in their careers, they showed great chins, great stamina, and heavy hands. All of them with the exception of Ike Ibeabuchi were able to finish out their careers sans legal trouble which caused them to prematurely retire.

How would Ike's career have continued? Who knows? Could he have posed a threat to Evander or Lennox? Sure he could have, he had the skills and talents to do so, but he was NOT flawless and given the kinds of careers the other fighters I mentioned had I'd be guessing (and that's all it is a guess, so no offense to anybody else's opinions) that Ibeabuchi would lose to either (or both) Lewis and Holyfield, go back to the gym to "get right" train up for another title shot, maybe pick off a title from someone else and then go on to flame out as is what happens to boxers with that kind of style. A Holyfield-esque run of greatness is not the norm, and hell Evander had his losses along the way.

Ike Ibeabuchi was impressive, he was skilled, he was powerful, but he wasn't perfect no fighter ever is. Both Holyfield and Lewis could box AND punch AND had very effective defenses, they are 2 of the most difficult heavyweights to match up against in the history of the sport IMO.

Titles Ike could have captured: WBA off of John Ruiz, IBF off of Chris Byrd, WBO off of Wlad....this was the early 2000's it wasn't impossible for Ike to get a title, but off of Lewis or Holyfield to be THE man of the division I don't believe he would have just judging off of how others similar to him faired....yeah Sam Peter ain't Ike Ibeabuchi, but he wasn't far off either.

[beenKOed]

I took the opinion he was successful because of his illness. No sane man walks through David Tua's punches. And even then Ike was almost outworked by Tua!

Ibeabuchi was a decent size, good chin and a fair puncher, that probably gets you on to the fringes; top 30/40 in the world. His illness helped him develop a fearless style and took him to the next level and get the fancy on side; without the illness he would of been at best, another 'Duncan Dokiwari' level fighter.

Different countries tend to produce similar styles of boxers with certain style traits that become almost stereotypical.

Looking at Sam Peter, David Izon, Friday Ahunaya, Duncan Dokiwari, etc it seems to me that had Ibeabuchi NOT been a mental case and NOT done the horrible things he did and NOT gone to prison he would have eventually become slow on his feet, slow in delivering his punches, he'd keep a good solid chin, but he'd be limited, a plodding 1 big haymaker at a time power puncher....I think Holyfield would have made him look amateurish, I think Lennox Lewis would have boxed circles around him, and eventually he'd lose to someone shocking like a Michael Grant or Shannon Briggs or Tony Thompson....someone would just catch him at a time where he would be fighting like he just visited a buffet.

That said there was no evidence of him heading that direction other than my seeing that exact same thing happen to the aforementioned fighters all of whom are from Nigeria same as Ike.

Did you ever see Ike fight?? He was nothing like those fighters you mentioned. I saw most of his fights from ringside. Watched Curtis Cokes transform him from a crude brawler to a great boxer puncher. He would have been champ without a doubt

If he just wasn't a nut case, most of us would agree with you. I'm sorry man, but I just can't believe he didn't play the biggest part in his own downfall.

[Lineal]

They say he is going to fight a top 15 type guy so it'll be sink or swim. I like the mention of a Briggs clash. Loser leaves town sort of thing.

I think too much time has past for 'The President' to make an impact now. If he looks good in his comeback fight he will probably get a mid level range fight but I don't see him progressing far.

[IamInuit]

They say he is going to fight a top 15 type guy so it'll be sink or swim. I like the mention of a Briggs clash. Loser leaves town sort of thing.

I think too much time has past for 'The President' to make an impact now. If he looks good in his comeback fight he will probably get a mid level range fight but I don't see him progressing far.

Who knows and its not as if he's entering a lions den. He may have been doing nothing but boxing all of this time. I'm eager to see what his timing and everything is like before I predict anything. He might have put in 10,000 hours. I've read at different places it might be Ruiz Jr. That would be quite the re-entry.

[Lineal]

They say he is going to fight a top 15 type guy so it'll be sink or swim. I like the mention of a Briggs clash. Loser leaves town sort of thing.

I think too much time has past for 'The President' to make an impact now. If he looks good in his comeback fight he will probably get a mid level range fight but I don't see him progressing far.

Who knows and its not as if he's entering a lions den. He may have been doing nothing but boxing all of this time. I'm eager to see what his timing and everything is like before I predict anything. He might have put in 10,000 hours. I've read at different places it might be Ruiz Jr. That would be quite the re-entry.

I'd like to see it. Depending how he looks there could be some fun fights to be made.

[Master]

Razor Rudduck lost recently, that would be an interesting matchup.

[Gandalf]

I think it has been far too long for him. I wish him well but 42 is very old.