Chances are high fairly good that, in the event you requested a battle fan to call a vastly gifted heavyweight of the final 20 or 30 years who by no means went so far as their appreciable abilities made it look as if they might go, the identify Ike Ibeabuchi would pop proper up. Ibeabuchi, who thrilled followers along with his slugfest of a win over an unbeaten David Tua and who then scored a genuinely scary KO over a slick Chris Byrd, appeared to be the entire package deal.
Athletic, highly effective, in nice form with stamina to burn, Ibeabuchi additionally had a rock for a chin and wonderful fundamentals. Certainly, the Nigerian warrior did appear to have all of it. Every thing apart from a sound thoughts. Everyone knows the Ibeabuchi story; how he has to his identify, sadly, an extended checklist of crimes and misdemeanours. Crimes Ike was jailed for simply as he was closing in on a shot on the world title. After 20 fights, all wins, Ibeabuchi’s boxing profession was over.
In the present day, “The President,” as Ike insisted on being referred to as, turns 50 years of age. Ibeabuchi’s legacy is that of a fighter who was by no means permitted to attain all that he may (this his personal fault). His profession incomplete, this obvious future champion was destined to have a large ‘what if?’ positioned alongside his identify by battle writers.
Nevertheless, simply six or seven months in the past, Ibeabuchi gave an interview in which he said he was going to be fighting again (you may have seen the piece right here on ESB). Ibeabuchi, who had been launched from prion in 2015, mentioned he was round 259 kilos, and he was now decided to ‘do a George Foreman’ and win the title at age 50.
For the reason that June interview, we’ve heard nothing. Ibeabuchi, who has been out and in of custody since his 2015 launch, might effectively have been deported for the reason that time of the interview. We don’t know. However wherever he’s, Ibeabuchi should be harbouring concepts of combating once more. Nevertheless, as time goes by, the comeback that so appeared to fascinate a very good bunch of individuals, appears to be like much less and fewer more likely to occur. And perhaps it’s a very good factor.
Ibeabuchi has not boxed since March of 1999; that means an idle spell of some 24 years must be snapped if Ike did return to the ring this yr. No, it appears sure we must assessment Ibeabuchi’s nice fights, the Tua and Byrd wins being by far and away his most spectacular in addition to essential, if we now have an urge to see him battle once more.
Ibeabuchi did appear to have the instruments wanted to not solely change into a world champion however to maybe take pleasure in a considerable reign of terror. However the internal demons have been an excessive amount of. Wherever he’s as we speak on the event of his fiftieth birthday, let’s hope Ike Ibeabuchi has been exorcised of the demons that so consumed him and his splendidly promising boxing profession.