What could have Ike Ibeabuchi become?

That Tua would've KO'd Wlad at some pt, while behind on the cards, as for Ike, he stopped a PRIME Byrd, something no one has ever done, he had potential but IMO the big 3 (Tyson, Holy, Lewis)of the 90s would've all beaten him. Though he would be too much for Byrd, Wlad, Peter, and Ruiz IMO.

 

Just out of curiosity, what would convince you.

I see the Peter figth as the turning point. I don't think he will panic again, but clinch, wait for the break, and start over with the jabs.

What fighter would convince you? Haye? Arreola?

 

Absolutely...

I believe the sky was the limit for Ike if he wasn't so f---ed in the head.

There is nobody comparable to him right now that I know of.

 

I think most people agree with you on both points, in all fairness.

I just don't see how two hard fought wins (Byrd was ahead on points, after all) over a couple of talented but VERY smallish heavies translates into beating a 6'7 gold medalist who has had, what, 60 or so fights now. I think Wlad get on his bicycle and jabs all night long, and clinches if it gets too hot.

 

I think Tua won and Ikes reaction at the end tells me he thought so too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhKRYMuzvhA

 

The Peter fight was a disgrace IMO, when you think about it. Peter was too fat & slow, so Wlad was able to outclass him yet he almost loses, Vitali at age 37 after a 4 yr layoff easily beats Peter. Wlad has ZERO poise or composure and will freeze up if confronted by an aggresive puncher, IMO Haye despite having a questionable chin has a very good chance of stopping Wlad. Arreola would likely get KO'd but if he put in the work and came to the ring in shape he'd have a chance as well.

 

It's not a matter of convincing. It's a matter of limitations. Either K brother will always be fine with a fighter who doesn't insist on coming forward. Either K brother will be in some very deep **** with any fighter who is aggressive and has power and speed. They're decent champs, but that's all they are. Better than average and far from great. Ike had greatness written all over him, and so did Tua before that fight.

Tua wasn't the stationary target at that time that he was when K fought him, that fight with Ike half ruined him. Up until then Tua insisted on getting close, he would move his feet and his head, he would lunge if he had to, but he would get where he needed to be and he would attack aggressively. AFTER that fight, he would just stay in one place, maybe shuffle forward kind of half-assed and wait for you to walk into one of his bombs. Not even close to the same fighter.

The poster above was right. The only fighter that I can see beating prime Ike post-Ali is Tyson. Holy had the heart and the will, but he was too small and not powerful enough. Lennox was better than the K brothers, but like them he needs an opponent who will cooperate with his gameplan of jab jab cross.

 

Not as much as many people think. Ibeabuchi is one of the most overrated fighters of modern times. Out of 20 victories, he fought two guys who weren't tomato cans, and one of them he only arguably beat.

 

Compared to guys like Arreola, Ruiz, Fat Peter, Rahman, Sanders etc I think he would've done quite well, I agree he is overrated but thats only because the HW is aguably in its worse era ever.

 

Wlad needs to prove me wrong, I want to see him go punch for punch with an oppenent without falling all over the place or having one of his famous panic attacks, that makes anyone that watches him cringe and make you wonder how a guy like this still heavyweight champ.

 

He is champ because talentless fighters who are shorter try to out box him from the outside, also he is good at finding easy prey, like the farce he put on with Rahman last yr.

 

That much I know, though was I the only one that was amazed glass chinned Rahman lasted 8 with Wlad? I mean ****, Zuri "Knockout Victim" Lawrence had him rocked the year before, as well as Sykes, the same Sykes Peter brutally knocked out by punching his head off the ropes on the way down to the canvas in 2 or 3 rounds.

Wlad is only as good as his oppenents, who most just seem like there fighting for the paycheck anymore. At least Peter and TOS went after Wlad, and while reckless in doing so, made it tough for Wlad. They both made him panic and had him on the canvas, and neither one is that skilled at all. Thats why I hope guys like Arreola, Haye, and Povetkin take a page off of these guys, and come in and make it a fight. So what if you get knocked out in the process, so it happends 3 or 4 rounds sooner, at least you tried.

 

IMO a peak Rahman with Aggresion would've been tough for Wlad, who was only to happy that a shot Rahman was willing to take the fight on 3 weeks notice and come in fat as hell, that was a farce. He should've just postponed the fight Pov would've been ready in a month, or did something else but the Rahman fight was a farce.

 

He outslugged Tua, and knocked out a prime Byrd.

Nobody else has ever managed those two feats. Ike was a great fighter who had the potential to be Heavyweight champion of the world.

 

Ike was to small, he's the same size as Iggy, and slightly bigger than Chageav. He woudl eat jabs all day long against wlad. he seemed to have a good chin but it woudl be tested, late TKO or UD WLAD. Lewis would have took the fight to Ike, and hurt him. Same outcome, UD or late TKO for Lewis.