Had their careers not been cut short. What do you think they could have gone on to achieve?

I think both lose against the true elite at the top, Lewis, Wlad, Vitali and Holyfield.

But H2H I like Ibeabuchi.

 

Fresh footage of Ike, body snatching.

This content is protected

 

I think Mesi would of gotten beaten once he fought someone decent. He was fresh and exciting at the time but he never showed anything to suggest he was anything more than another fringe contender. Maybe he would of gotten lucky and picked up an easy belt, but maybe not.

Ibeabuchi was clearly very good, nobody KO'ed Byrd like that and nobody took Tua's punches like that and just kept on going. Would of been a shock had he not picked up a title, Byrd did, but then Tua didn't. Would depend upon if he decides to go for the top guy or pick up an easy belt.

But I think Ike gets overrated. Yes he beat 2 world class heavies but they were both short and small and liked to be up close to their opponents. Ike never fought a real good mover or a good, big super heavy. He still had some things to prove before we can say he would of been a dominant force, he would of been a force in the division but not necessarily a dominant force.

 

Mesi could have beaten a weak belt holder and milked it. Shame Jirov ended his career with rabbit punches.

 

How about we add this guy to the list as well... Pirog.

 

I knew Ike personally, both me and Curtis Cokes who again I knew personally believed that Ike would ruin everyone in the division bar Lennox Lewis, who again I knew personally....**** sorry about that I seemed to have morphed into @C.J. there for a minute....

But agree with your post Ike was an extreme version of a what could have been fighter but as you say his best wins where against small guys, fighters like your Lewis and the Klits are completely different.

 

Ike yes, Mesi no

 

Mesi wasn't much but he was pretty marketable. They would have made some good dough off his image, style and ethnicity but he would never have been a champ.

 

Pre Jail Braehmer would have beaten Calzaghe.

 

Messi is doing well for himself being the best soccer player of all time