Holyfield. What if?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Mendoza, Aug 3, 2007.


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  1. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Since this board is heavy into rating fighters, I have a great what if. What If Holyfield upsets Sultan Ibragimov and wins the WBO title?

    Foreman is beloved for winning the title back at nearly the same age. Foreman lost his first two 1990’s title bouts to Holyfield and Morrison, but scored a memorable come from behind Ko over Michael Morrer to win a title. By defeating Morrer, Foreman proved he was still a good fighter past his 40th birthday.

    I guess Holyfield potential legacy / ratings boost depends on how good Sultan Ibragimov turns out. I’ve seen Sultan before. He’s an aggressive southpaw type who throws punches in bunches, and packs a fair amount of power in his blows. Ibragimov has good hand speed too. My best guess is Ibragimov knocks the old warrior out in the mid rounds, but the question of the thread is what if Holyfield wins? Will the win do as much for him as it did for Foreman?
     
    Mendoza, Aug 3, 2007
    Mendoza, Aug 3, 2007
    #1
  2. Icemmann

    Icemmann Breakin it down. Full Member

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    No, he's fighting for a abc strap, not the lineal heavyweight championship.

    Ibragimov doesn't even look like he's the best of the abc strap holders.
     
    Icemmann, Aug 3, 2007
    Icemmann, Aug 3, 2007
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  3. Shake

    Shake Boxing Addict Full Member

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    So what?
     
    Shake, Aug 3, 2007
    Shake, Aug 3, 2007
    #3
  4. garymcfall

    garymcfall Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I dont think Holy will win, but if he did in my mind it would reflect on how poor Sultan is rather than how good Evander is/was.
     
    garymcfall, Aug 3, 2007
    garymcfall, Aug 3, 2007
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  5. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    It would definitly be a sign of great longetivity. Sultan is not the man to beat, but he's a top3 contender for sure, WBO champ. It would be on par with Holmes beating Mercer, if not better. I think he's better than Mercer although they have different qualities (durability/boxing skill).

    On a sidenote, he barely got by an unmotivated top20 in Fres Oquendo. Ibragimov is quite a good fighter, i think he'll hand Holyfield a painful loss.
     
    ChrisPontius, Aug 3, 2007
    ChrisPontius, Aug 3, 2007
    #5
  6. Muchmoore

    Muchmoore Guest

    Winning the Undisuputed lineal title is a greater achievement than winning the WBO.
     
    Muchmoore, Aug 3, 2007
    Muchmoore, Aug 3, 2007
    #6
  7. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    The WBO is the trinket that made the likes of Hide, Mercer and Damiani 'world' champs, so 'No'.
     
    My dinner with Conteh, Aug 4, 2007
    My dinner with Conteh, Aug 4, 2007
    #7
  8. jhar26

    jhar26 Member Full Member

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    It would mean that at age 44 he's still able to beat a decent fighter, which is an achievement by itself. But nobody is gonna regard him as "the champ" because of it.
     
    jhar26, Aug 4, 2007
    jhar26, Aug 4, 2007
    #8
  9. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I think the belts by themselves don’t matter as much as they used to. For example the WBO has Calzaghe, and Taylor as their champions at 168 and 160. These two are the best at their weight class. If Holyfield wins the title again, I betcha dollars to donuts the press doesn’t care if it’s the WBO belt.
     
    Mendoza, Aug 4, 2007
    Mendoza, Aug 4, 2007
    #9
  10. Dempsey1238

    Dempsey1238 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    There are WAY to many belts, lol. And they find any excuse to strip you if you trip up lol.
     
    Dempsey1238, Aug 4, 2007
    Dempsey1238, Aug 4, 2007
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  11. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Undisupted Lineal Title... ULT and we have another piece of alphabet crap...

    There is only one championship that matters, it is not the WBA, C or O; it is not Lineage (whatever that is) or Undisupted (whatever that is) it is the World Championship, when the best two fighters in a division fight each other...
     
    TBooze, Aug 5, 2007
    TBooze, Aug 5, 2007
    #11
  12. DamonD

    DamonD Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    It would be good for Holyfield's legacy, but as others have said it's not on the same level as what Foreman did when he beat Moorer.

    Moorer was the lineal champ, also with both the WBA and IBF straps, while Foreman was coming off a points loss and about 17 months' worth of inactivity.

    I do think it would reflect badly on Sultan and the division if Holy won. Great personal victory for Holyfield, bad in general because, for better or for worse, Sultan is supposed to be one of the top guys in HW boxing as a belt-holder.
     
    DamonD, Aug 5, 2007
    DamonD, Aug 5, 2007
    #12
  13. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    This sums it up. Boxing might receive a short term boast in interest if Holyfield pulls off the upset. The proposition of Holyfield winning a belt is a real catch 22. Holfyfield is a fighter. He will meet Wlad to unify. If that fight ever takes place, Holyfield’s courage could spell disaster for him.

    Ibragimov isn’t the best of the belt holders, but he looks to be the most mobile. His new trainer Roger Mayweather has transformed a helter skelter swarming style into a man who could box, get angles, and use his hand speed to pile up points and counter if the situation calls for it. Most swamers lack these boxing skills. If Ibragimov can’t knock Holfyfield out, he can certainly move around and out box him. I think Ibragimov’s stamina and chin are good enough to go 12, and survive an occasional hard shot.

    Older fighters often have the hardest time vs faster opponents. At this stage of the game, Holyfield is no longer a top ten fighter, but he’s still better than the Ray Austin’s, and Petter Okello’s of boxing who received recent title shots. It’s a pity Chagaev pulled out due to illness. Chagaev vs Ibragimov would have given heavyweight boxing a rare title unification match between two un-defeated fighters, with the winner likely getting a huge pay day to fight Wlad in Germany.
     
    Mendoza, Aug 5, 2007
    Mendoza, Aug 5, 2007
    #13
  14. Muchmoore

    Muchmoore Guest

    I had a typo are you happy now?
     
    Muchmoore, Aug 5, 2007
    Muchmoore, Aug 5, 2007
    #14
  15. DamonD

    DamonD Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I confess that I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to how Sultan's fight. I didn't see the fight with Briggs (thank God) or any of his other fights, so I don't even really know what he's like.

    Isn't he a southpaw...?

    His gameplan for Holyfield would seem an obvious one. Stick 'n' move, work the jab consistantly, and guard against the left hooks to the body and head.
     
    DamonD, Aug 5, 2007
    DamonD, Aug 5, 2007
    #15
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