How do you think Holyfield-Ibragimov unfolds stylistically?

I voted for OTHER.

Here's what we know. Holyfield though tough and game can not fight a full three rounds. He's going to fight in spurts and try to land his left hook, which is still a potent punch!

Ibragimov is a very fast and mobile heavyweight. He’s got a killer body shot, a hard left, and can combo or flurry. But I don’t think his best stuff in the game plan for him At least not early in the fight. I think Ibragimov tries to out box Holyfield the way he did with Briggs, and mixes in some action by beating him the punch. Ibragimov has a good enough chin to survive a few hard shots ( I think ), and has transformed his style with Mayweater as his trainer. Look for Ibragimov to out maneuver Holfyield.

The worst match up for an older fighter is vs a much young and faster opponents who can hit. History would say Holyfield is in for a hard night. I do think Holyfield is in the best possible shape, and still believes in himself. This means Holfyield might surprise by making a better than expected showing

I think Ibragimov if he presses it get the TKO. If not, wins on points if the judges score the fight properly. Ibragimov is in a hard spot. If he wins, Holfyield was too old. If he wins and struggle or looses, critics will say he simply was not that good to begin with.

If Ibragimov really wants to impress, he needs a KO before Toney Ko’d Holyfield. How good is Sultan? I think he’s a top 10 fighter for sure, and should rate around 5. However Peter was exposed vs McCline. Is he #2 now? Chagaev and Maskev have been out of action for a while. There is no clear cut #2. If Sultan wins impressively, he can make a case for #2.

I do believe the winner here will fight Wlad in a title Unification match with the Ring Magazine belt also being at stake!

I have mixed emotions about this fight. I think Holyfield should retire. No one wants to see him get hurt. If Holyfield fights Wlad, I fear he will. If Holyfield make sa good showing, he’ll fight on. It might be best for Ibragimov to score a clean KO early. Then Holyfield will retire.

 

Other:

I respect Ibragimov's speed and power. IF he is going to beat Evander, its going to be on volume of punches and overwhelming him. If, on the other hand, Evander can control the tempo, move and deliver a solid STRAIGHT right he has a chance.

 

I really don't know what to expect from Holyfield, but I guess he is going to be TKOed, round 5-ish. I honestly can't see a way he can win this fight (although I sure want him to do it). I guess his game plan will be to throw quick punches, avoid heavy exchanges and outbox Ibragimov to get a decission.

 

Sultan is likely going to use his foot speed, box on the outside and pop shot Holyfield. Sultan is crafty, and has good hand speed as well.

 

My guess: Sultan's fightplan is to stay outside, make Holy move. The Russian will probably try to use his right jab and right hook while staying well to the left of Holyfield's left hook range. He'll try to make EH move to EH's left and when he sees the chance to go inside, when EH's left hand is out of position for a left hook, Ibragimov will dash inside behind an overhand left.

Holyfield wants to make the fight an inside fight, obviously. He want's to see some fat punches he can slip and counter.

 

Holyfield couldn't even keep his left hand up in the bout with Toney. James immediately recognized this, and landed his overhand right at will. That was also pretty much the last Toney fight where he deserved the adjective "agile".

From what I've seen of Ibragimov, he doesn't have Toney's defense but has much better footwork. He can work from the outside to land clean punches when Holy is out of position, and he's also not inept on the inside. Evander has to turn this into an ugly grapple fest quick, and hope he catches Sultan sleeping defensively. I think part A will happen, but part B is a longshot.

 

I think Ibragimov is totally the wrong style for Holyfield. If he fights another safety-first, hit & run style like he did against Briggs, it's going to be a long and frustrating night for Evander.

Part of Holyfield's struggles have been that he's had a stretch of fighting all the wrong styles: Byrd, Toney, Donald... all defensive boxer-types with great jabs. Old plodders should avoid slick boxers, especially if they have a history of struggling with that style.

Holyfield ALWAYS looked bad against passive survival fighters. Remeber at Cruiserweight how he got dragged into the late rounds with Ocassio, Tillman & DeLeon? He lost a lot of credibilty and marketing value in those fights - people expected a future Heavyweight contender to tear those guys up in 2-3rounds.

Ibragimov can stop Holyfield with accumulation and his sneaky fast delivery, also Holyfield will be trying harder than Briggs so there will be more mistakes opportunities for Sultan to time him.

However, if he choses to pursue that, there's also a chance HE migh get timed by Evander, in which case he'd be in more trouble than he was with Ray Austin.

Briggs power is way overrated, he only KO'd Liakhovich because he was way out of shape and dead tired. But I can cut Sultan some slack because it's tricky to fight a guy who does nothing but hang around and look for a lucky punch..

Still, I think getting dropped in the Austin fight changed Ibragimov a little, I think he's now decided that his gameplans will be built around his exceptional mobility and above average handspeed.

Against Holyfield, hit & run is almost guaranteed to work, I'd be surprised if Ibragimov deviated from it unless he's certain Holyfield is falling apart from fatigue.

 

I think Ibragimov will try to hit and run Holy to a unanimous decision.

But it won't work against the...

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Holyfield will come forward (and probably look pretty good) for a few rounds until he gets tired, and Ibrag cruises to a UD or Ibrag unloads on him and wins by stoppage

 

Holy will fight with fists and fury.

His punches will be judge and jury.

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My mind sides with that prediction even though my heart says he will pull an incredibly close decision ( maybe even a SD or a MD) or even a draw ( which is a failure nonetheless).

 

Even if Holyfield pulls off the performance of a life time, baring a KO don't expect him to win this, especially in Moscow (yeah, I know the judges are from The US, but the crowd will definitely be pro-Ibragimov, which will have some effect on perception).

 

WOW Holyfield looks GREAT .

 

Obragimov must stay out of head range of head butt Holy or be bled to death....a head butt with blood in his eyes is the only way Holy will catch Ibragimov.
I expect Holy to go in 9.
To old and slow and shape is good looking but that ain't boxing shape really....boxing shape is not getting clocked in the 7th when body looks and shape go different ways.

Old and slow and lacking teh speed to have pop vs Young and fast with power..
Joe Louis said "When I was young, teh opening appeared and I hit him, when I got old, the opening appeared, and I said hit him, and my fist did not move............Louis was for the time real old at 36/7.....and for the time now... Holy when not fighting some old c/b fighter he's really old....and slow....boxing is a game where the half a eye blink is the difference between two young and fast boxers.....Holy does not have teh power to make up for being old and slow.

Boxing is a sport like Tennis, your reflexes are going and gone at 33...after that it's style up to a certain age...especially when you can pick and choose.....Ibragimov is the only one Holy has a prayer of beating...now that Valuov is gone....and that prayer is like someone praying for a glass of ice water in hell.