Interesting passage from a Hank Kaplan interview (from 2005). Q: Who is your favorite present-day fighter, the guy you'd most like to see fight? A: Ike Ibeabuchi. People think there are no fighters around today. It's sad that this guys is locked up, but to me, I think I was beginning to see the greatest heavyweight fighter who ever lived. This guy was a heavyweight Henry Armstrong. http://www.thesweetscience.com/articles-of-2005/2862-q-a-a-with-hank-kaplan He also negged Wlad K for having the "softest chin in boxing" and said that Lewis had "the greatest straight right hand in the history of the heavyweight division" and that he "could do all the things the small guys could do, and he still had the size."
He's entitled to his opinion. Ibeaubuchi was a good prospect. I can't remember if it was this Kaplan guy who was saying Naseem Hamed was one of the greatest fighters ever, or maybe that was Herb Goldman. I'm not sure what Kaplan's background credentials are, whether he fought or trained anyone or why he's an expert. I'm lacking in knowledge of the guy but hear the name a lot so I guess he's someone.
Okay, I've done a google search on him. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Kaplan Yeah, he was a pro fighter and a public health official, served in ww2 and a publicist for the Dundee brothers in Miami and collected a lot of boxing memorabilia. A boxing historian, rated highly in that area. Yeah, I get him confused with Herb Goldman though. Both well respected. Yeah, Ibeaubuchi was pretty good but it's a big expectations to put on someone, and it's nice for an old timer to give a modern fighter credit, especially if the guy is mental and jailed and never fight again.
Here ya go. I'm not sure if the below article mentions it, but Kaplan boxed as an amateur and retired 1-0 as a professional. His credentials are very good. I too think Ike could have been very special. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Kaplan
Kaplan's credentials are on a par with anyone's, he was a compulsive archivist and lived and breathed boxing.
I think its comical to suggest Lennox Lewis could do the things the smaller fighters can do. I feel exactly the opposite of him. I think he got away with glaring deficiencies because of his size. For instance his jab always touted but Ive seen him outjabbed round after round in numerous fights. I think his jab sucked and his footwork and defence were pretty weak. His footwork improved a lot after Steward because Steward was so big on balance but he still shuffled and duck walked at times. I dont know. Ive never been impressed by the guy. That being said he would have killed Ruiz and like I said in another thread I got into a long debate with Kaplan who insisted that Lennox was ducking him and afraid of Ruiz' right hand.
I'm on board with the Ike evaluation, but not the Lewis "greatest straight right hand" thing. Not at all. Shavers, Foreman come to mind immediately. And Joe Louis.
Ike Ibeabuchi was a helluva fighter. His fight with Tua was rough. I believe he could have beaten Tyson head to head.
He was unproven and still just a contender. Lots of those guys can fall off and disappear. And do. So easy to de-rail. Gain weight. Legs go. Bad hands. A shoulder goes. And there were always those sparring sessions of Ike that were problems. Big concerns there. Plus, how many guys reach the prize and hold onto it? I have doubts about Ike winning the title. If he managed to, he's not the type to string together a bunch of title defenses. The other big factor he did not have was a top notch team with him---no DKP or Arum and no Steward in that corner. Go look at the long standing champs and a common theme is top shelf management. Lots of mountains yet to climb.
Great points. Personally, I think it's a great disservice to the few heavyweight champions who proved they had the discipline to maintain their championship form for an extended period of time to pretend every "could've been" would have done it, too. History is filled with way more boxers who peaked as challengers and flat out lacked the qualities to stay champ even if they looked like (or actually were) monsters on the way up.
It's easy to tout a "what if" prospect like tho I get the attraction because what we saw was outstanding. And he was clearly proven incorrect about Wlad who took over the division for a decade. Regarding Lewis, who I hold in very high regard, he fought big not small. Defensive lapses, feet a little too concrete and very paced when at his best. He never really had the balance or agility but when he was controlling the action and could set his feet, Good Lord, either the right down the pike or the hook could decapitate you.
