BoxRec

Ike Ibeabuchi set to return to the ring in December

On election day, it has been revealed that “The President” will return to action 25 years on from his last fight.

Nigerian Ike Ibeabuchi was a 1990s heavyweight contender who was 20-0 (15 KOs) having defeated David Tua and Chris Byrd.

Byrd was stopped in five rounds but Tua was on the wrong end of a decision loss in a wildly exciting 1997 12-round brawl that set CompuBox records for the volume of punches thrown by both fighters.

But Ibeabuchi, for many a champion in waiting, came off the rails and he has spent many of the subsequent years in prison.

He had a history of trouble but in 1999 he was jailed in Las Vegas where he served 16 years for sexual misconduct. He announced plans to return but in 2016, after being released in Nevada, he was sent back to prison – this time in Arizona – for violating parole conditions and due to a 2003 warrant he claimed to be unaware of.

Released again in September 2020, the now 51-year-old is slated to fight at the Diete Spiff, Civic Center in Port Harcourt in Nigeria on December 7. In the opposite corner will be Egyptian Ayman Farouk Abbas, who is 4-10-1 (1 KO), who has spent most of his career fighting in Cairo where, in 2023, he climbed off the floor to draw with Christopher Lovejoy. They are scheduled to meet over six rounds.

He'd probably beat AJ.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑05 Nov 2024, 16:33 He'd probably beat AJ.

He’s already knocked him out in sparring. Been there done that.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑05 Nov 2024, 16:26 Ike Ibeabuchi set to return to the ring in December

On election day, it has been revealed that “The President” will return to action 25 years on from his last fight.

Nigerian Ike Ibeabuchi was a 1990s heavyweight contender who was 20-0 (15 KOs) having defeated David Tua and Chris Byrd.

Byrd was stopped in five rounds but Tua was on the wrong end of a decision loss in a wildly exciting 1997 12-round brawl that set CompuBox records for the volume of punches thrown by both fighters.

But Ibeabuchi, for many a champion in waiting, came off the rails and he has spent many of the subsequent years in prison.

He had a history of trouble but in 1999 he was jailed in Las Vegas where he served 16 years for sexual misconduct. He announced plans to return but in 2016, after being released in Nevada, he was sent back to prison – this time in Arizona – for violating parole conditions and due to a 2003 warrant he claimed to be unaware of.

Released again in September 2020, the now 51-year-old is slated to fight at the Diete Spiff, Civic Center in Port Harcourt in Nigeria on December 7. In the opposite corner will be Egyptian Ayman Farouk Abbas, who is 4-10-1 (1 KO), who has spent most of his career fighting in Cairo where, in 2023, he climbed off the floor to draw with Christopher Lovejoy. They are scheduled to meet over six rounds.

He's a complete scumbag, I hope he gets lamped all over the parish.

Who?

RONNIE PICKERING!

I must admit, I'll be perversely interested in his comeback, hoping he gets to fight a top 50ish name and is thoroughly mullered.

I suspect even at 51 he'll be able to beat a guy that's 4-10-1, although it'd be funny if he couldn't.

Maybe Jake Paul can take him on after Tyson

Can see that going well

Ibeabuchi is a nutter.

He will get battered by anybody even halfway decent, freak show.

Wonder if him and Tyson might be on the agenda?

jamesmcdonnell wrote: ↑10 Nov 2024, 08:12 He will get battered by anybody even halfway decent, freak show.

Wonder if him and Tyson might be on the agenda?

If Tyson beats Jake Paul, he will have a lot of options. Maybe Ike will be in the picture, they do have something in common after all, they are both sex offenders.

Ike Ibeabuchi set to fight Tommy Morrison’s son after 26 years out

https://www.worldboxingnews.net/ike-ibe ... years-out/

Undefeated heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi is on the verge of facing Tommy Morrison’s son, Kenzie, after over a quarter of a century away from the sport.

The 51-year-old last fought in 1999 when he defeated future world champion Chris Byrd. Four months after the victory in July of that year, he was imprisoned in Las Vegas after submitting an Alford plea on sexual misconduct charges.

Ibeabuchi lost a promising boxing career to sixteen years behind bars before being eventually released in 2015. Further problems with the law saw Ibeabuchi imprisoned before being let out for good in 2020.

Immigration paperwork problems saw plans to resume his boxing career thwarted until 2024. Brother Stan spoke to Nigerian media at the time of his release.

“Ike was transferred to ICE following his release on September 13, 2020, from the Arizona Penal system and is held there. My brother’s case was handled unjustly. He was never given a fair chance to defend himself.

“He spent a lot of time for a crime he did not commit. Ike spent more than twenty years in prison. That is an injustice. What I think happened is an action against him to make sure Ike didn’t achieve his dream of becoming heavyweight champion of the world,” he added.

Longest gap between fights?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑18 Jan 2025, 12:14 Longest gap between fights?

It would be, breaking Mike Tyson's record of 19 years by some considerable margin I'm led to believe.

I wonder what type of shape he is in. Will it be as dangerous him boxing at his age compared to someone who continually boxed, or less? I guess old is old in terms of your reflexes to some extent. Would be bonkers if he came back and did ok.

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑18 Jan 2025, 13:55 I wonder what type of shape he is in. Will it be as dangerous him boxing at his age compared to someone who continually boxed, or less? I guess old is old in terms of your reflexes to some extent. Would be bonkers if he came back and did ok.

Looking at the clips of him on YouTube, he looks like he's in decent physical shape, but 51 is 51 and it doesn't matter what general physical shape you look to be in, when you get in the ring and your reflexes, stamina and punch resistance have disappeared over the horizon, you'll know about it, unless you're fighting Jake Paul for $20 million.

Syntax Error wrote: ↑18 Jan 2025, 15:41

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑18 Jan 2025, 13:55 I wonder what type of shape he is in. Will it be as dangerous him boxing at his age compared to someone who continually boxed, or less? I guess old is old in terms of your reflexes to some extent. Would be bonkers if he came back and did ok.

Looking at the clips of him on YouTube, he looks like he's in decent physical shape, but 51 is 51 and it doesn't matter what general physical shape you look to be in, when you get in the ring and your reflexes, stamina and punch resistance have disappeared over the horizon, you'll know about it, unless you're fighting Jake Paul for $20 million.

Totally get it and he’s always presented and acted as someone with major issues so it can’t be good to have him boxing but someone will chase a pound note and get him licensed sadly

Boxing continues to degrade itself

Why are we promoting perverts

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 03:05 Why are we promoting perverts

That's boxing for you.

A convicted rapist is one of the most lauded and revered ex fighters around today.

That would not be the case in any other walk of life, with the exception of politics.

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 03:05 Why are we promoting perverts

Misfits also featured a killer last night

gilgamesh wrote: ↑06 Nov 2024, 14:10 I suspect even at 51 he'll be able to beat a guy that's 4-10-1, although it'd be funny if he couldn't.

Maybe Jake Paul can take him on after Tyson

I think Ibeabuchi being under 55 years old would likely rule him out as a potential Jake Paul opponent.

He is without doubt the most frightening looking 50 year old I have ever seen. Just been watching his new stuff on YouTube. He certainly made use of the gym in prison.

If he beats Tommy Morrison's boy in Feb the buzz that will create might get him on the big promoters' radars.

He had potential in his prime. I know he did it the hard way vs Tua but he showed he was a masterful inside fighter, as tough as they come with a rock solid chin and had solid power. He was a handful but never got his chance due to being a nutter outside of the ring. I'd give him a genuine chance against Holyfield and Lewis at that time. He definitely has a solid chance of beating Holyfield. The version of Tyson at that time would be an easy fight for him I think. I also think Lewis gets extremely overrated and Ike would have a very solid chance of winning there too. Lewis Holyfield 2 was a very close fight. These days Ike is probably going to get banged out by Morrisons kid and then go off the rails again and end up in the slammer.