IBRAGIMOV Vs. HOLYFIELD
SULTAN IBRAGIMOV Vs. EVANDER HOLYFIELD
World Heavyweight Championship
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Distributed By Canadastar Boxing Inc.
Live! From Moscow, Russia
On Closed Circuit-Pay Per View
For Canadian Commercial Locations
SULTAN IBRAGIMOV
PROFILE
- As At 7 September 2007 -
An aggrssive fighter with two-fisted power, Russia's Sultan Ibragimov is an unmovable force in the ring, and a man many believe is destined to achieve grat things in the heavyweight division in the coming years.
In 2002, Ibragimov would begin his professional journey, relocating to the United States, where he would not only get top training and sparring, but he would also receive the opportunities to move the quickest in the capital of the fight game.
In his professional debut in May 2002, he knocked out Tracy Williams in just 79 seconds. His next three opponents didn't fare much better as they all fell in th first round as well.
After two more impressive KO victories in the United States, Ibragimov returned home for his next five fights to show his fans just how far he had come since they had last seen him in action. And the Russian fans were impressed, as Sultan went 5-0 with four knockouts on his homecoming tour from April 2003 to March 2004.
Returning to the U.S. in August 2004 with a fifth-round stoppage of Oriebo Maxime, Ibragimov was ready for a step up in competition. Unfortunately, that competition wasn't ready for him as veterans Najee Shaheed, James Walton, and former world champion Al Cole were all stopped by the Russion wrecking machine. In the process, Sultan earned the vacant WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title, a crown he has defended five times.
In 2005, Ibragimov has been simply devastating, following up the third round stoppage of Cole with wins over well-regarded heavyweights Zuri Lawrence (TKO 11), Andy Sample (TKO 1) and Friday Ahunanya (W TD 9), and on December 15th, Ibragimov was expected to face the toughest test of his career when he took on perennial contender Lance 'Mount' Whitaker, but it turned into the most impressive win of his young career as he stopped Whitaker in the seventh round.
It was suh an emphatic victory that other heavyweights were understandably hesitant about facing him, but on July 28, 2006, Ray Austin stood up and faced Ibragimov in an IBF title elimination bout which saw both fighters hit the canvas before a 12-round draw verdict was rendered.
Most observers felt that Ibragimov did enough to win the fight though, including the WBO, which awarded the Russian banger a shot at newly crowned champion, Shannon Briggs. Before that fight though, Briggs withdrew due to illness and Ibragimov's time to shine would have to wait.
To stay busy, he scored a 46-second blowout of Javier Mora in March 2007, and his shot at Briggs was re-scheduled for June 2, 2007 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
And on that night, Ibragimov's lifeling dream became a reality when he decisioned Briggs unanimously over 12 rounds to win the WBO world heavyweight championship, using constant activity and combination punching to force the Brooklynite to fight at a pace he did not want to deal with.
So how did Ibragimov's family back home (who he visits after every fight) react to having a heavyweight champion in the family?
"Everybody becomes crazy, including myself," he laughs, but he also knows that being a champion means moe than just performing in the ring. For the soft-spoken Ibragimov, being thrust in the poublic eye will undoubtedly be an adjustment, but one he is prepared for.
"I understand that it's part of the life of a champion," said Ibragimov. "If you want to be in the boxing business, or in another business where you have to be famous, you have to be prepared for this. Be patient, be nice, and that's it. My friend Mike Tyson, everybody says he is arrogant, but I see how he is patient when we were together a couple of times, and he was very nice with people. Evrybody stopped him and everybody asks him for autographs and he nevr says a bad word. This is the only way to be in this world. If you have to be arrogant, that's not my style."
Sounds like a worthy representative for this sport, especially since Ibragimov wants to show the world that the heavyweight division is not only relevant, but that it's alive and well.
"I want only one thing," he said. "People have to see how beautiful the boxing is. These big, big guys have destroyed the heavyweight division. On the screen or in the auditorium, I want people to see how beautiful the heavyweights can fight."
On October 13th, Ibragimov returns home to Russia for the first defense of his championship when he takes on living legend Evander Holyfield in a highly-anticipated bout at the Khodynka Arena in Moscow. |
