You'd really HAVE to favor Liston. Ibeabuchi is one of the more overrated fighters of recent years. He has exactly two fights against decent opponents, the rest are against the "usual suspects" a prospect fights. And the Tua fight, trutfully, could have gone either way. Liston most likely outjabs this guy to a CLEAR UD, or maybe stops him late.
Ibeabuchi's not quite as bad as all that. The guy did beat two contenders from his own era. And while he was definitely a headcase, Ibeabuchi also didn't quit twice.
True, but most fighters who fought Ali didn't quit. My point isn't that Liston is a quitter, or bad fighter, or anything like that. Just that Ibeabuchi should not be discounted too heavily for his behavior outside the ring, since we extend Sonny the benefit of the doubt for a couple of his actual in-ring performances.
Ibeabuchi would have been a formidable opponent. He was strong, durable and could punch. But I think Liston’s jab and reach would see him to a decision or late stoppage barring something extraordinary and unexpected from Ike.
I get that. My point was that you could use a short description to write off any fighter. And that money guy is a weirdo.
Ibeabuchi showed in his incredibly short career that he does have a good combination of speed and power, and we should also mention his solid chin. But he used his chin as his defense so much he made riddick bowe look like a prime willie pep. There is going to be a real holy union between Ibeabuchi's face and Liston's fists. I think Ike's chin doesn't hold up well, and he would get brutally stopped in the 7th round.