I think this would be a fun fight. Both very fast but with pretty different styles. Power advantage to Sultan but Roy edges him slightly in speed. Would Roy's jab be the key or would Sultan eventually get that opening for a laser left?
Sultan was a very different kettle of fish from Ruiz...smarter, more resourceful and more of a ring general...I think he would have beaten Roy by a decision.
That's basically what I was thinking. Roy would have his moments but Sultan was TOUGH and fast. His body attack was good too.
Todd, Sultan was the best of the Russian heavyweights IMO...better than Chagaev. He was clever...tough and smart enough to keep from getting ko'ed by the much bigger Wlad klitschko, who was at the height of his powers when they met. Iggy would have won by virtue of being tough and clever....and he was stronger than Jones.
Sultan Ibragimov should win this. He was cagey. He did poorly against Klitschko but is still one of the best Wlad beat. Roy Jones did beat Ruiz but Ruiz was more of a "plodder".
Could go either way. Ibragimov looked great in the am fight against Chagaev, but he was also a small heavyweight who plodded his way to a draw agianst Austin. Roy was able to cut weight and still outpoint a prime Tarver, who was a little rangier than Ibragimov was. Roy would probably win if he stayed off the ropes.
I always thought Ibragimov was under appreciated. He retired too soon imo. Seeing him in a Povetkin fight or maybe Haye... those would have been fun fights! Sultan was tough as nails
