Is Ike Ibeabuchi the biggest genetic freak in HW boxing history?

With all due respect, we can never know.

With say, an actual champion who had a career that ran its course you could be more certain. Unfortunately Ike falls far short of enough pedigree for certainty.

 

Agreed ... this nonsense about him being slow is just that .. he was the only man to take out a prime Byrd ..

 

Unfortunately it's what he did after he'd taken out a prime bird that means we'll never know what he could have been.

 

Cliche .. you know that if Ike were fighting Roland you'd bet your last nick on Ike early ..

 

Carnera gets my vote and I think it is a good bet it was not PED fueled. Valuev gets an honourable mention.

 

Maybe Ike could be installed as a favourite then. But a sensible person would need more to go on to part with actual money. Ike had two fights at just a fair level. Byrd and Tua.

If Aljandro Lavorante had been locked up after his win over Zora Foley everyone would have forgotten him pretty quick.

 

This is the gospel truth right there.

 

Lewis never fought a bomber with durability, and skills on Ike's level. He would be hit here, and his chin is shaky when hit by fighters on Rahman and McCall's level.

Ike beat Tua in 1997 and Byrd in 1999. He beat their best versions showing speed, power, durability, late round stamina, etc... It would not surprise me if either Tua or Byrd ended up in the boxing hall of fame and he beat them at their best. Byrd was running for his life in there and was taken out with a thunderous punch. Never saw any punch hurt him like that, not even Wlad's face ripper in the 2nd fight.

Do you think Holyfield, Moore, Foreman or Bowe would beat Ike in 2000 and beyond? Not likely. He'd pound them, partly because they weren't at their best. Heck, Holy and Bowe were there for the taking as early as 1997.

See my point Ezzard? A fight with the others was not making able until at least 1997.

In summary, we have a proven undefeated heavyweight vs good competition who was taken away from the sport before he even hit his prime.

 

There wouldn't have been a Klitschko reign had Ike not been locked up.

Wlad at his very peak didn't look nearly as good against a well past prime Byrd in 2006 as Ike did against a prime undefeated Byrd.

 

I thought Byrd spent too much time trying to be cute on the ropes in that fight.
It cost him.

 

People are grossly overrating Ibeaubuchi.
His only notable wins are Byrd and Tua, that's it. A grand total of TWO wins over good 'ranked' opposition.
Maybe if he got a chance against Lewis around 2000 he would have been exposed as limited and crude, just as Tua was.

I'm not even sure why Ibeaubuchi is considered to have phenomenal power by some here. He has just that one impressive KO in his entire resume. And let's not pretend he put Byrd's lights out, like Tua did to Ruiz, for example. Byrd was on his feet and shouting about something when the fight was stopped.

 

His shoulders looked like he had cannon balls under his skin. Surreal.

 

Max Baer had a hell of a genetic hand dealt to him.

But probably no one had a better heavyweight genes than Ali. Big, strong, unreal speed and balance, crazy recuperative powers. It really doesn't get any better.

 

Good call.
But I'm not sure his balance and recuperative powers are necessarily genetic.
His speed and his size certainly needed considerable genetics.

 

I think the neuromuscular control necessary for great balance is as much a genetic gift as speed. Either can be taught to a certain degree but you really have to be born with the goods to make it to the top level. Just my 2 pence.