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Ike Ibeabuchi

6K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  mtt_c 
#1 ·
He's probably one of the biggest "what if" fighters ever. What do you guys think he could have achieved had he never gotten himself in the trouble he did. He holds the record for the most amount of punches throw in a Heavyweight fight.

It's difficult to forget what he did to Chris Byrd and that great fight with David Tua. So.. could he have been a World Champion and gone onto do greater things?
 
#2 ·
For sure, the man would prolly still be Heavyweight Champion today. Heavyweight division has been incredibly sorry...I don't see how he doesn't clown these fools. He'd have good challenges against the Klitchko's but he'd completely blow everyone else out of the water.

Heavyweight division will pick up next decade, expect Arreola to be the next big thing in the Heavyweight Division, I'm calling it now. I pray Haye fights the guy, that fight doesn't go 3 rounds.
 
#5 ·
He had the best combination of will power, punching power, accuracy, Iron chin, decent combinations and fantastic tactical work, he beat a prime David Tua!, I'm pretty sure the guy would've gone on to really great things, just how great? who knows, how would he have gone against Lennox and Holyfield of the late 90's? He was equally adept at fighting outside and inside similar to Riddick Bowe so it certainly would've been great fights, instead he was rotting in some prision somewhere
 
#8 ·
Ike had a ton of talent, and the physical attributes to go with it. His problem was, he didn't have the brains to realize, or care about this. He was nuts, plain and simple. It's ashame he didn't stay on track and completely utilize his talent. He truly could have been a top 25 heavyweight if he stayed on track.
 
#11 ·
for some reason i heard of this guy but never caught his fight until i saw one on espn classic fights. i always thought the last pure boxer in the heavy weight division was Holyfield in his prime, but damn this dude could go. to be so big he had alot of snap on his shots. i was very impressed. we will never know.

:thumbsup:
 
#12 ·
That fight with Tua was amazing. Has there ever been a big guy like him that could box and move so well? He had the stamina to throw so many punches. He showed off his chin too as his right hand dropped lower as the fight wore on, eating quite a few big left hooks from Tua and just throwing back. I had to pinch myself.

I especially liked when he had Byrd cornered as one of the rounds ended, he let out a roar. This just after ripping Byrd with some nasty combos.

He would have been one of the greatest in my opinion.
What a damn shame.
 
#13 ·
That fight with Tua was amazing. Has there ever been a big guy like him that could box and move so well? He had the stamina to throw so many punches. He showed off his chin too as his right hand dropped lower as the fight wore on, eating quite a few big left hooks from Tua and just throwing back. I had to pinch myself.

I especially liked when he had Byrd cornered as one of the rounds ended, he let out a roar. This just after ripping Byrd with some nasty combos.

He would have been one of the greatest in my opinion.
What a damn shame.
Yes, the man is only 6'2. He looks tall next to Tua because Tua is quite frankly short (5'10). There was nothing particularly unprecedented about his in ring movements. Holyfield and Bowe were taller and moved better. Ike still had heavier set than Holyfield, but was smaller than Bowe in all aspects.
 
#14 ·
I don't think Bowe Moved as well as Ike. Bowe was an unusually gifted fighter on the inside for a big man from what I remember, but he didnt move around the ring with the angles like I saw in Ike.
I think Holyfield was much more of a slugger than a boxer. He would just stand in there and trade a lot.
 
#15 ·
I don't think Bowe Moved as well as Ike. Bowe was an unusually gifted fighter on the inside for a big man from what I remember, but he didnt move around the ring with the angles like I saw in Ike.
I think Holyfield was much more of a slugger than a boxer. He would just stand in there and trade a lot.
And Ike didn't? He was toe to toe with Tua the whole fight. They both could box and slug, and Holyfield was definitely slicker. The move he did to KO Buster Douglas is one of my personal favorites.
 
#17 ·
:laugh: Backed out of that one quick...it's ok, we can go back to Bowe.

I never seen Ibeabuchi do anything remotely like what Bowe did to Holyfield in the first fight. Here's Bowe, 6'5, ducking UNDER 6'2 1/2 Holyfield's punches CONSTANTLY. The man fought beautiful, and quite frankly he even has faster hands than Ibeabuchi. Ibeabuchi had better work rate, Bowe better combinations and speed. As for footwork, perhaps he wasn't twinkle toes but if he needed to move in a hurry he did. Ibeabuchi was much more lethargic.
 
#18 ·
I'm not backing away from the holyfield discussion, I simply forgot to mention it in my last post.
Bowe was a little clumsy on his feet, but he deserves a lot of props, he is one of my favorites. It would be a tough task for any fighter to have a better career imo.

I think Ike had a lot of potential and he had a lot to learn too. He only had 20 fights and not much of an amateur stint. Too bad he lost it. How can you not like a guy that disposed of byrd the way he did?
 
#20 ·
I'm not backing away from the holyfield discussion, I simply forgot to mention it in my last post.
Bowe was a little clumsy on his feet, but he deserves a lot of props, he is one of my favorites. It would be a tough task for any fighter to have a better career imo.

I think Ike had a lot of potential and he had a lot to learn too. He only had 20 fights and not much of an amateur stint. Too bad he lost it. How can you not like a guy that disposed of byrd the way he did?
You can't, he was one hell of a prospect. Too bad he had to go to prison, otherwise I truly believe he would have been the next undisputed Heavyweight Champion after Lewis. Now it looks like we might not get an undisputed Champion till the Klitchkos retire....damn travesty.
 
#22 ·
I knew Ike Ibeabuchi from the day he arrived at The Home of Champions gym in Dallas Tx run by ex world welterweight champ Curtis Cokes. Ike was fresh in from Nigeria and was a rock em sock em crude brawler. His first year he went straight though the GG Dallas, Texas State & Nationals. He lost his only fight in a disputed decision at national.
Curtis Cokes transformed Ike from a brawler to the complete fighter. In my opinion he would have been the natural successor to Lennox Lewis. What happened later to rob him of this was a tragedy & a travesty.
 
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