Wlad loses to Ike in 2000. His game was still very rough which is partly why he lost to Ross purity fairly close to that time period. As far as their career trajectories go, I think they both end up the same. Ike was a head case whose life and career were bound to get derailed at some point. Wlad on the other hand had a talent for rebounding after a loss and becoming better
He beat Byrd and Monte Barret in 2000. His game was not rough. But he wasn’t prime. His chin would later get broken for a bit but it hadn’t yet. Although I do agree I think early Wlad losses in 2000. His defense was good but not what it would be later
Yeah getting stopped by Ross the boss and floored by Steve Pannel doesn’t instill much confidence against the man who dominated undefeated versions of Byrd and Tua
Ike actually gets stopped, nobody gets drummed as much he would vs Wlad and lives… oh 2000 Wlad, probably still Wlad.
Honestly torn on this one…Prime Wlad beats him. This version wasn’t as defensively oriented but he was no slouch in that department.
This is just a bad matchup for Wlad. Ike by KO. Ike is a busier, sturdier, more tenacious version of the Lamon Brewester that flattened Wlad close to this time frame.
What makes me think Wlad would win is that Ike was just slow, and his footwork was slow too. He's not going to catch Wlad with something he doesn't see and he's not going to be able to impose himself on the bigger but much more nimble Ukrainian. Ike was like a tank rumbling forward, so long as you didn't fight him in the trenches you could be ok. I will say that early Wlad would engage more than his 'prime' version and so Ike has an outside chance of turning it into a slugfest. I think his chin might win that for him.