Had Ike not gone to prison...

Lennox Lewis -- Good scrap, but I think Lewis would start outboxing Ike in the mid-rounds and cruise to a UD.

Vitali Klitschko -- Somebody's getting knocked out here. My gut says Klitschko would beat him to the punch and eventually stop him. Far from confident on this one though.

Wladimir Klitschko -- Ike all the way. KO3, maybe 4.

Evander Holyfield -- WAR. Holyfield TKO11 or 12.

John Ruiz -- Ike all the way again. KO6.

Hasim Rahman -- Ike would destroy Rahman. Their styles are somewhat similar, but Ike does everything way better, and had a much better chin.

 

Fair enough. Even the Holyfield that lost to Lewis couldn't really keep up with Ike I think.

 

Ike was a force of nature, the only man who went toe to toe with David Tua for 12 rounds and came out the winner, and also the first fighter to beat a prime Chris Byrd. I think he could have beaten any of the top guys around today, and I'd give him a 50/50 chance against Lennox Lewis, and I'm a Lennox Lewis fan. That guy was a beast, the complete package.

 

I'm a big Ibeabuchi fan, but i don't think Tua had the perfect style to defeat Ike. We'll never know for sure, but i think the Nigerian is best against someone who doesn't use footwork to stay away and/or work on the outside. I think Lewis would frustrate him and stay away from him, keeping him at the end of his jab. I think that would be the worst matchup for him, stylistically. I thought Tua edged the fight by a single point by the way, but it was close and could've gone either way.

The way Ibeabuchi fought Tua however, did play entirely in Tua's hands and in that sense i agree that it was one of the worst stylistical fights for Ike (only a few men in history could fight Tua like that and go the distance, let alone win). It was his own choice to fight like that, though, and i think he'd be out of his comfort zone if he has to chase someone taller and rangier around.


As for the matchups,

Lennox Lewis - wins a UD

Vitali Klitschko - could go either way

Wladimir Klitschko - unless Ibeabuchi's chin is ruined without us knowing it (Byrd isn't the one to expose it either), Klitschko has no chance in 1999/2000. Ibeabuchi by KO within 5.

Evander Holyfield - Ibeabuchi outworks Holyfield and may be troubled by the old man's defence early on, but will get through more and more as Holyfield tires and takes a 9-3 UD.

John Ruiz - Ruiz's holding will negate most of Ike's infighting skill, but Ibeabuchi would still do enough in between the holding to win a decision or perhaps a knockout.



Bottomline is that Ibeabuchi is a ****ing monster. I think the fact that he never fought a range, footwork based fighter like Lewis hides some flaws for him, but man, i can hardly think of anyone looking more impressive than he did against Tua and Byrd. The workrate, the handspeed, the willingness of combat, the power, the handspeed, the durability. He was built wide as a house. At 6'2" he could carry 240lbs and still look ripped with cannonballs for shoulders. When i hear Sonny Liston being described, this guy is how i picture that what i read.

 

Lewis wouldve whooped him.

 

Lewis and VK defeat him, Lewis clearly and Vk in a close fight. Ike knocks the rest out before five rounds. But then again he is a true nut case so who can really tell what would happen.

 

He's still trying to get over Lewis using Tyson's face for a speedball

Therapy can only go so far.

 

I have watched the Tua bout many times and happen to feel Tua edged him ... that being said, Tua was never the sam. He never got into the same condition and never fought with the same conviction.

I think Ike may have been a great heavyweight but he blew it ... who knows how he would have done. We did not see him against anyone but Tua and Byrd .. it is a shame, a waste and right up there with Ayala on wasted talent.

 

Agreed. One of those exceptions that only come along once in a lifetime..


Although i'd have to add that he might appear taller than he is because his most famous fights were against fighters of 5'10 and 6'0. But he is one scary mother****er. I read that they needed 5 cops to restrain him after using pepper spray.

 

I don't drink the Ike koolaid. I saw him a lot when is was up and coming and saw him train as well. He was very good, but crazy overrated. Byrd was beating him before he was decapitated and I had Tua winning by two rounds. But Ike was very limited and vanilla in a lot of his other fights that many haven't seen.

 

In an interview in 2000, frank maloney (lennoxs then manager) admitted that lennox will not go near Ike until the money is great. he said that he and lenox handlers really feared ike

I have no doubt that Ike would of beat everyone bar Lennox Lewis