Ike Ibeabuchi

[Andre]

Hopefully Ike doesn't return to a boxing ring as he would be nothing now. I believe if he is released he gets deported back to Nigeria.

Really enjoyed Ike's short stay at the top. The chasing Chris Byrd around the ring until he finally caught up with him and gave a beating too. Only a year later Byrd beat Vitali Klitschko and went the 12 round distance with Wladimir. Yet Ike had him out of there in 5 rounds.

As for the Tua fight well the relatively unknown Ike went 12 hard rounds mainly toe to toe with the hard hitting Samoan. Tua was coming off impressive wins over John Ruiz, Darroll Wilson, David Izon and Oleg Maskaev. I believe the fight holds the record for most punches in a Heavyweight fight - it certainly broke the record at the time.

Ike had decent power, a solid chin, great stamina and he would often throw 100 punches a round. He would have been a very formidable threat to the reign of Lennox Lewis.

At the time 1999/2000 you had Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko, Hasim Rahman, David Tua and Michael Grant as the main contenders along with Ike Ibeabuchi. For me Ike was the main threat as it didn't matter what style you had his overcame it.

He would have outslugged Vitali and quite frankly destroyed Rahman and Wladimir. Still its a case of what might of been and Ike can never get back to where he once was.

I think you are right here and I also think that record still stands.

[bradlee180]

Ike Ibeabuchi is one of the greatest wastes of talent I've ever seen.