Where is Sultan Ibragimov?

Techno Viking KO1 Haye :smoke

 

As much as I hate to say it (I like and respect Jeff), you may be right about this. I'm know he was disappointed with the outcome against Klit, they both worked so hard to prepare an effective strategy. Sultan may indeed do better with a trainer that places more emphasis on aggression.

 

Sultan may be better setting up a fight already, he is almost a year removed from the ring and at 33 years old, doesn't have any time to waist anymore in his pro career.

 

I think it is true. Jeff may be a good guy, seems to be, but he was strategically wrong against Wlad.

The thing about J. Mayweather is that he took Sultan and rather than look at his strengths and how that could translate into the best strategy to win against Wlad, he imposed his vision of more cautious boxing on Sultan.

It was the right strategy against Briggs because Briggs was immobile with no jab and Sultan could get in and out of range to land then use defense to win rounds.

It was the wrong strategy against Wlad because of the impossibility of scoring around the very long jab and right hand and the fact that only thing that has ever troubled Wlad is aggression. Sultan had showed that he could be effectively aggressive in the past, so it's not like they couldn't have just refined that and at least stood a chance.

Flexibility in terms of the ability to adopt the right plan and train the fighter to it should be the mark of a good trainer, something Mayweather didn't do.

If Sultan came back in his old form, he'd be back in the top 5 of right now in two or three figths.

 

You make a good point with this. Especially in light of how Sander's did against him. Given Jeff's keen boxing mind, I wonder if he saw something else in K's style that he thought Sultan could exploit? I know for a fact that Jeff is very studious and planning having watched several fights with him. I assume Sultan is going to find himself another trainer; if and when he ever fights again.

 

I think Wlad's reach and fast, hard jab made it impossible for Sultan to be too aggressive, try as he may.

That jab pumping in your face can make you become cautious and force you to do something other than what you were hoping to do; ie, be more aggressive.

Maybe Mayweather had trained Sultan to do as you said, and be more aggressive, but once that long, impenetrable jab keep jolting Sultan's head back, and the right started to loosen his teeth, the be aggressive plans suddenly went out the window.

Its one thing to plan to be aggressive against a much bigger and more powerful fighter with fast hands, and actually being aggressive against him without getting the f*ck knocked out of you in your attempts.

 

Ibragimov should come back and fight someone in or around the top 10, he's one of the bets HW's out there.

 

If you guys remember, Sultan was talking about retirement long before the Klit fight, saying stuff like: "There are other things I can do besides boxing to be a good man," and the like.

He'll be back, because the money is too damn good to pass up, but I doubt we will ever really see the fire again.

 

No wonder the current crop of fighters dont seem as good as 'old school' guys.

You simply can't fight once a year, and be at peak performance, and have as much knowledge and experience as guys that constantly fight.

 

Both Klitschkos will be of retiring age before Sultan's out of his prime.

 

He actually went into the Klitschko fight with a busted hand. He didn't want to let the fans down. His trainer is having personal problems outside of boxing and Sultan may be looking for a new corner crew.

 

How is that, when Wlad is younger than Ibragimov?

 

55 pro fights since 1996, 136-4 amateur career before that.

Compare with Sultan's 24 pro fights since 2002, and by his estimation about 100 amateur bouts.

Wlad's a year younger but he's ring-older. How much longer do you see him and Vitali going on? Three, four years maybe five? They seem the type to get out while the getting's good before they decline too badly.

Sultan on the other hand probably has at least another five good years and depending on the state of the division in the near future could be competitive for a lot longer than that.

 

I didn't hear about this. hmm...:think

 

Same here.