Ike Ibeabuchi is back! And on the Pacquiao undercard in April!

[Tuan_Jim]

I think he was even a threat to Lewis. He could punch, move, and, as we saw versus Tua, shrug off full bloodied shots from a puncher. He looked like the complete package.

I don't think Lewis would have had it easy at all with Ibeabuchi. Ibeabuchi probably had the best chin in the division at that time for a start, so we might have been looking at 12 rounds. He had one punch power and was capable of putting Lewis to sleep with a single shot. He was decent at slipping shots and has very good handspeed. He came in superb shape and was ready to do a full 12 rounds at a good pace. Lewis might have been able to keep him at the end of a jab and keep him at bay with the threat of right hands and big uppercuts on the inside. But to be honest, Ibeabuchi was far superiour to Lewis on the inside so Lewis would have been better served to do everything possible to keep this fight at range and hold in close, which is what Steward would have told him im sure. Watching Ibeabuchi vs Tua round 1 again, i was surprised at Ibeabuchi's footspeed. I always had that down as a pretty big flaw but he was moving pretty well.

I can't see any man who goes life and death, and in plenty of eyes, lost to David Tua, outboxong Lenox Lewis for 12 rounds. You can bet your bollocks that Lewis turns up completely focused and ready for this mythical match up too as Ike was building a serious reputation, no Rahman nonsense here.
Ibeabuchi was potentially a good challenger but his chances get bigged up with each passing year.

Look at how each dealt with David Tua. Ike couldn't beat him like Lennox did because he didn't have the ability.

I'm not saying Ibeabuchi didn't stand a chance, of course he did, but if a prime motivated and fit Lennox Lews turns up and performs...

And yet conversely I can't see any man who struggles with the pace of Zeljko Mavrovic and a 36 year old Ray Mercer coping with the beast who set such a frenetic pace vs Tua and Byrd. And we know from the Tua fight that cracking Ike with a bomb won't stop him coming. What on earth do you do with this guy?

[mikiesb]

On a side note wasn t mavrovic meant to be making a comeback ?. Lewis said mavro was his hardest fight.if I remember rightly.

[forcefraser]

I'm hoping that Ibeabuchi gets the poo beaten out of him. The man is scum.

He`s the president for gods sake

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't think Lewis would have had it easy at all with Ibeabuchi. Ibeabuchi probably had the best chin in the division at that time for a start, so we might have been looking at 12 rounds. He had one punch power and was capable of putting Lewis to sleep with a single shot. He was decent at slipping shots and has very good handspeed. He came in superb shape and was ready to do a full 12 rounds at a good pace. Lewis might have been able to keep him at the end of a jab and keep him at bay with the threat of right hands and big uppercuts on the inside. But to be honest, Ibeabuchi was far superiour to Lewis on the inside so Lewis would have been better served to do everything possible to keep this fight at range and hold in close, which is what Steward would have told him im sure. Watching Ibeabuchi vs Tua round 1 again, i was surprised at Ibeabuchi's footspeed. I always had that down as a pretty big flaw but he was moving pretty well.

I can't see any man who goes life and death, and in plenty of eyes, lost to David Tua, outboxong Lenox Lewis for 12 rounds. You can bet your bollocks that Lewis turns up completely focused and ready for this mythical match up too as Ike was building a serious reputation, no Rahman nonsense here.
Ibeabuchi was potentially a good challenger but his chances get bigged up with each passing year.

Look at how each dealt with David Tua. Ike couldn't beat him like Lennox did because he didn't have the ability.

I'm not saying Ibeabuchi didn't stand a chance, of course he did, but if a prime motivated and fit Lennox Lews turns up and performs...

And yet conversely I can't see any man who struggles with the pace of Zeljko Mavrovic and a 36 year old Ray Mercer coping with the beast who set such a frenetic pace vs Tua and Byrd. And we know from the Tua fight that cracking Ike with a bomb won't stop him coming. What on earth do you do with this guy?

Mercer did well against Lewis by taking his jab away on the inside, which made life hard for Lewis.

Mercer turned in probably his best performance - let's not forget Mercer also gave a prime Holyfield absolute murders. Mercer was a very very good fighter, and as tough as they come.

Ibeabuchi was a good prospect, nothing more, his status is being mythologised excessively. What did he do in his career to suggest he would have beaten Lewis. He never took on, let alone beat anybody of Lewis' calibre, and he fought the most stupid fight ever going to war with a shorter power puncher like Tua, not really an indication of ring smarts, and in his case, sounds like it more than likely contributed to his mental health problems, as he began suffering hallucinations following the bout.

Lewis was in my mind, the hardest puncher in the division in his prime, his overhand right/right cross, was absolutely devastating, as were his uppercuts. I've no doubt that a focussed Lewis could have either outboxed Ike, or punished him and beat him up.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't think Lewis would have had it easy at all with Ibeabuchi. Ibeabuchi probably had the best chin in the division at that time for a start, so we might have been looking at 12 rounds. He had one punch power and was capable of putting Lewis to sleep with a single shot. He was decent at slipping shots and has very good handspeed. He came in superb shape and was ready to do a full 12 rounds at a good pace. Lewis might have been able to keep him at the end of a jab and keep him at bay with the threat of right hands and big uppercuts on the inside. But to be honest, Ibeabuchi was far superiour to Lewis on the inside so Lewis would have been better served to do everything possible to keep this fight at range and hold in close, which is what Steward would have told him im sure. Watching Ibeabuchi vs Tua round 1 again, i was surprised at Ibeabuchi's footspeed. I always had that down as a pretty big flaw but he was moving pretty well.

I can't see any man who goes life and death, and in plenty of eyes, lost to David Tua, outboxong Lenox Lewis for 12 rounds. You can bet your bollocks that Lewis turns up completely focused and ready for this mythical match up too as Ike was building a serious reputation, no Rahman nonsense here.
Ibeabuchi was potentially a good challenger but his chances get bigged up with each passing year.

Look at how each dealt with David Tua. Ike couldn't beat him like Lennox did because he didn't have the ability.

I'm not saying Ibeabuchi didn't stand a chance, of course he did, but if a prime motivated and fit Lennox Lews turns up and performs...

And yet conversely I can't see any man who struggles with the pace of Zeljko Mavrovic and a 36 year old Ray Mercer coping with the beast who set such a frenetic pace vs Tua and Byrd. And we know from the Tua fight that cracking Ike with a bomb won't stop him coming. What on earth do you do with this guy?

Mavrovic was very awkward and also was very tall with a long reach, he didn't fight in a style anything reminiscent of Ibeabuchi, so you're comparing apples and oranges. Ali beat struggled with Frazier in all of their fights, Foreman destroyed Frazier twice, Ali beat foreman. You see what I'm getting at?

Mercer is a better comparison, but Mercer also had a better jab than Ibeabuchi, and fought a different style.

[Tuan_Jim]

I was discussing pace, not style. The pace set by Mavrovic, a man in the early stages of a wasting disease, combined with his abnormal chin pushed Lewis to the brink of exhaustion and caused him to black out after the fight. It's a fight worth considering. Lewis was too big for a pace.

Ibeabuchi fought a David Tua who had KOd Ruiz (at the time a nobody) and Izon (periphery figure). He was NOT yet the Tua of legend, and Ike evidently thought he could fold him with pressure and got dragged into a war. Lennox Lewis, O wizened Oracle of the ring, evidently thought he could fold Vitali Klitschko with pressure, and ALSO GOT DRAGGED INTO A WAR. So let's not judge Ike too harshly here. Lewis idiotically thought he could bomb Oliver McCall, which Boxing Monthly warned would be reckless and dangerous long before the fight took place. Holyfield did the same thing vs Bowe. Ali did the same thing in Manila. The best of the best have made such errors of judgement. The result is ambrosia for boxing fans.

I share your feelings about Mercer, a hard and scary brute.

[lillywhite14]

I have always said a prime on form Mercer would always beat the best ever version of Wlad

Obviously neither are called Ike Ibeabuchi and nor did either fight him but just though I'd share that with you all Mercer was a very serious fighter

[Tuan_Jim]

Have you seen the start of round 6 of Wlad vs the mortal remains of Ray Mercer? The Merciless One throws one right hand - apparently the only one the old boy could muster all night - and it appears to wobble Wlad!

[thepocketrocket]

As much as it is silly for someone to declare that Ike was the future based on his body of work he had put up, it is also ridiculous for someone to say definitively that Lewis would have smashed him. Ike never had the chance to step up because he was a violent nutcase, only the Delphic Oracle or Mystic Meg will be able to tell you what would have happened...

[jamesmcdonnell]

I was discussing pace, not style. The pace set by Mavrovic, a man in the early stages of a wasting disease, combined with his abnormal chin pushed Lewis to the brink of exhaustion and caused him to black out after the fight. It's a fight worth considering. Lewis was too big for a pace.

Ibeabuchi fought a David Tua who had KOd Ruiz (at the time a nobody) and Izon (periphery figure). He was NOT yet the Tua of legend, and Ike evidently thought he could fold him with pressure and got dragged into a war. Lennox Lewis, O wizened Oracle of the ring, evidently thought he could fold Vitali Klitschko with pressure, and ALSO GOT DRAGGED INTO A WAR. So let's not judge Ike too harshly here. Lewis idiotically thought he could bomb Oliver McCall, which Boxing Monthly warned would be reckless and dangerous long before the fight took place. Holyfield did the same thing vs Bowe. Ali did the same thing in Manila. The best of the best have made such errors of judgement. The result is ambrosia for boxing fans.

I share your feelings about Mercer, a hard and scary brute.

Mercer was a little unfortunate to be around when he was, a little earlier or later, and he'd have been a world champion.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I was discussing pace, not style. The pace set by Mavrovic, a man in the early stages of a wasting disease, combined with his abnormal chin pushed Lewis to the brink of exhaustion and caused him to black out after the fight. It's a fight worth considering. Lewis was too big for a pace.

Ibeabuchi fought a David Tua who had KOd Ruiz (at the time a nobody) and Izon (periphery figure). He was NOT yet the Tua of legend, and Ike evidently thought he could fold him with pressure and got dragged into a war. Lennox Lewis, O wizened Oracle of the ring, evidently thought he could fold Vitali Klitschko with pressure, and ALSO GOT DRAGGED INTO A WAR. So let's not judge Ike too harshly here. Lewis idiotically thought he could bomb Oliver McCall, which Boxing Monthly warned would be reckless and dangerous long before the fight took place. Holyfield did the same thing vs Bowe. Ali did the same thing in Manila. The best of the best have made such errors of judgement. The result is ambrosia for boxing fans.

I share your feelings about Mercer, a hard and scary brute.

Mercer was a little unfortunate to be around when he was, a little earlier or later, and he'd have been a world champion.

What was it about Jesse Ferguson that caused quite a few of the leading lights problems?

[Tuan_Jim]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

[reggaereggae]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yes he certainly was a 'Boogie man' for some fighters! Felt bad when he got bombed out by Bowe, it was brutal.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

[Tuan_Jim]

I used to love it when the Boogie Man would come down the aisle hooded to the Exorcist theme. Amazed more fighters don't employ horror scores. Tyson entered the ring against Spinks playing a spooky, unsettling piece that seemed to create an air of impending doom.

[Tuan_Jim]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

He had a great interview with Boxing News tother year. Such a shame the writer seemed to have very little knowledge of who Ferguson was. I'd have talked the Boogie Man's ears off.

[reggaereggae]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

I agree. Maybe even not a whole book, but a chapter in a book about 'peripheral' but very decent boxing characters. That would be fascinating.

Like a mix between Mark Turley's journeyman book, and Tris Dixon's book. Would be a great book. Wonder who else to include? There are so many interesting characters in boxing I wouldn't know where to start.....

[keithmoonhangover]

I was discussing pace, not style. The pace set by Mavrovic, a man in the early stages of a wasting disease, combined with his abnormal chin pushed Lewis to the brink of exhaustion and caused him to black out after the fight. It's a fight worth considering. Lewis was too big for a pace.

Ibeabuchi fought a David Tua who had KOd Ruiz (at the time a nobody) and Izon (periphery figure). He was NOT yet the Tua of legend, and Ike evidently thought he could fold him with pressure and got dragged into a war. Lennox Lewis, O wizened Oracle of the ring, evidently thought he could fold Vitali Klitschko with pressure, and ALSO GOT DRAGGED INTO A WAR. So let's not judge Ike too harshly here. Lewis idiotically thought he could bomb Oliver McCall, which Boxing Monthly warned would be reckless and dangerous long before the fight took place. Holyfield did the same thing vs Bowe. Ali did the same thing in Manila. The best of the best have made such errors of judgement. The result is ambrosia for boxing fans.

I share your feelings about Mercer, a hard and scary brute.

Mercer was a little unfortunate to be around when he was, a little earlier or later, and he'd have been a world champion.

Earlier? Tyson? Holmes?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Yeah I thought about it after I posted, either way he was never going to win a world title. I was kinda thinking, he was as capable as Bruno for sure.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

I agree. Maybe even not a whole book, but a chapter in a book about 'peripheral' but very decent boxing characters. That would be fascinating.

Like a mix between Mark Turley's journeyman book, and Tris Dixon's book. Would be a great book. Wonder who else to include? There are so many interesting characters in boxing I wouldn't know where to start.....

Yeah, didn't someone do one about the 'lost generation' of 80's heavyweights.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Jesse was a damn good fighter when he was in the mood. Went to war with Tyson and Williams, world class fighters. He put on a beautiful display versus Mercer in the Garden. Could look awful when low in esteem or fitness. And then at 40 he's rejuvenated, boxes Obed Sullivans ears off, stands up to Rahman for 12 rounds and comes in on 7 days notice to last the distance with Golota at his most menacing. Fascinating figure.

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

I agree. Maybe even not a whole book, but a chapter in a book about 'peripheral' but very decent boxing characters. That would be fascinating.

Like a mix between Mark Turley's journeyman book, and Tris Dixon's book. Would be a great book. Wonder who else to include? There are so many interesting characters in boxing I wouldn't know where to start.....

I'd bet Ferguson's journey would be an interesting one. Probably a guy who had quite a few nights on the thin end of the wedge, and won some he wasn't supposed to. Bit like Glen Johnson, a guy with no real following or constituency.

[Tuan_Jim]

If you can beat Lennox Lewis, as Mercer did, then you can beat more than a few heavyweight champions in history.

Mercer in his next fight boxed a scary, on-form Tim Witherpoon who NOBODY wanted to fight. The next fight he agreed to was Golota, who again NOBODY wanted to fight. Mercer would fight anyone. At his best he was elite calibre, as evidenced by his best nights.

[reggaereggae]

Yeah, might be a good book there if someone did one.

The boogieman certainly has a ring to it as a title.

I agree. Maybe even not a whole book, but a chapter in a book about 'peripheral' but very decent boxing characters. That would be fascinating.

Like a mix between Mark Turley's journeyman book, and Tris Dixon's book. Would be a great book. Wonder who else to include? There are so many interesting characters in boxing I wouldn't know where to start.....

Yeah, didn't someone do one about the 'lost generation' of 80's heavyweights.

Was it this one? Tarnished Armour by Dominic Calder-Smith http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tarnished-Armou ... hed+armour or The Long Round by the same author http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Long-Round- ... 9Z74J4GZ94

[MightyWarrior]

I was discussing pace, not style. The pace set by Mavrovic, a man in the early stages of a wasting disease, combined with his abnormal chin pushed Lewis to the brink of exhaustion and caused him to black out after the fight. It's a fight worth considering. Lewis was too big for a pace.

Ibeabuchi fought a David Tua who had KOd Ruiz (at the time a nobody) and Izon (periphery figure). He was NOT yet the Tua of legend, and Ike evidently thought he could fold him with pressure and got dragged into a war. Lennox Lewis, O wizened Oracle of the ring, evidently thought he could fold Vitali Klitschko with pressure, and ALSO GOT DRAGGED INTO A WAR. So let's not judge Ike too harshly here. Lewis idiotically thought he could bomb Oliver McCall, which Boxing Monthly warned would be reckless and dangerous long before the fight took place. Holyfield did the same thing vs Bowe. Ali did the same thing in Manila. The best of the best have made such errors of judgement. The result is ambrosia for boxing fans.

I share your feelings about Mercer, a hard and scary brute.

Mercer was a little unfortunate to be around when he was, a little earlier or later, and he'd have been a world champion.

Earlier? Tyson? Holmes?

Tubbs, Coetzee, Page, Tate, Smith etc

[keithmoonhangover]

Mercer was a little unfortunate to be around when he was, a little earlier or later, and he'd have been a world champion.

Earlier? Tyson? Holmes?

Tubbs, Coetzee, Page, Tate, Smith etc

Prime Tubbs would absolutely school him, as would Page - Mercer was awful against good movers and fast hands. I think Coetzee would take him. Smith is a pick 'em for me, whoever has the most will wins. Tate, hmmm, not sure.