Chagaev-Ibragimov makes ESPN's top headlines

Funny, I thought Iggy was going to fight Holyfield - Vlad for his title.

 

Credit Ibragimov and Chagaev for doing what needs to be done and getting a unification underway. Now let's hope that the winner will fight the Wlad-Brewster winner sometime early next year

 

Let me get this straight. The winner becomes heavyweight champion?

 

This is fantastic news. I think that the very notion of these two unifying will force the other belt holders into taking part.

 

Well, as long as the winner face W. Klitschko to further the unification I am all for it. This is a perfect first step though.

 

Ring won't crown a champ, because Wlad is their #1 ranked heavyweight and I believe that their rules state that they require a #1-#2 or #1-#3 matchup, or a complete unification, to crown a Ring champ in a given division

I think it would take a matchup of the Wlad-Brewster and Chagaev-IBragimov winners for them to crown a champion

 

Not exactly, unfortunately. Ring's rules, I believe, mandate that the number 1 contender must face either the #2 or #3 guy to win the title. That means the winner of this fight has to face Wlad.

This is a step in the right direction, no doubt. And the winner of this fight - which I think is likely to be Chagaev - will have a case to rival Wlad as the top dog, but it still will require that guy to fight him to really settle things.

 

tv better show it

 

see, we dont need wlad to unify, don king wasn't the one stopping unifications it was waldo.

 

No, cause Wlad is #1, and evidence that they wont is in the Super Middleweight Division, where Kessler has two belts but Stay at home Joe is the ring champ.

 

who cares if wlad is ranked number 1 b a stupid magazine, true champions dont need a paper telling them.

 

btw, German TV calls the date and might produce it...

 

Good to see a heavyweight story on ESPN.com's front page that isn't about Tommy Morrison's HIV status or Joe Mesi's brain injuries. As Guru said above, heavyweights drive boxing.

 

The WBC is going to be held up for quite awhile. There is 3 mandatory challengers waiting for a title shot which unacceptable and a violation of the WBC's own rules . Perhaps Wlad wil fight the winner of Chagaev vs Sultan though.

Why the WBC appointed the winner of Sam vs Mccall a shot, is unimaginable as both have been fighting poor opposition. It was fat and slow vs old slow, a real **** fight I read.