Brick City Boxing

By: Christopher Roche

While I do not normally open commentaries with reader submissions, I thought the one below was an appropriate lead. In part of my column last week, I predicted an upset in the Klitschko vs. Ibragimov bout. Reader AJ immediately called me out on the day of publication.

Here is part of his e-mail.

Chris:

AJ

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At South El Monte Boxing Club, South El Monte, California

WHO: WBC and The Ring Magazine Super Bantamweight Champ Israel Vazquez Former Two-Time World Champion Rafael Marquez

WHAT: Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez will participate in a public open workout as they wind down preparations for their highly anticipated rubber match, “Final Confrontation” for the WBC/The Ring Magazine super bantamweight title Saturday, March 1, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Vazquez vs. Marquez I and II produced the most exciting, bloody, give-and-take slugfests of 2007, with the second bout winning Fight of the Year and Round of the Year honors. Now the Mexican warriors face each other in the final battle for honor, pride and super bantamweight supremacy on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast). The showdown will be promoted by Gary Shaw Productions in association withSycuan Ringside Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Romanza Boxing Productions.

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Heavyweight Deontay Wilder defeats 2007 World Championships Silver Medalist

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Three U.S. Olympians kicked off their 2008 competition schedule with wins over Russian opponents, February 24 in Magnitogorsk, Russia. The United States team faced off with Russia’s best in the first of two duals. Welterweight World Champion Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.) showcased the skills that took him to gold by defeating Russia’s Dmitrii Ivanov and heavyweight Olympian Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) recorded an impressive victory, beating 2007 World Championships silver medalist Rakhim Chakhiev. Super heavyweight Olympian Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) avenged a loss at the Olympic Test event by defeating Russia’s Denis Sergeev. Andrade’s convincing victory earned him Outstanding Boxer honors at the event.

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By: Christopher Roche, Ringside

Depending on one’s point of view, “Ireland’s” John Duddy is either a blood and guts warrior, or a fighter who simply is hit too much.

Duddy entered Madison Square Garden to bagpipes and raucous cheers, but he almost gave his fans heart failure in the first round. Little known Canadian Walid Smichet gave Duddy, of Derry City, Ireland, all he could handle by landing looping right hands, which connected flush on Duddy’s head. Duddy opened the bout looking smooth and polished, and he slipped and ducked nicely, as he tried to work his lead left hand. However, the light-switch seemed to turn off midway through the round, and Smichet’s right started finding pay dirt.

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By: Christopher Roche, Ringside

Sultan Ibragimov was determined to counterpunch Wladimir Klitschko; the only problem was Klitschko did not punch.

The fans at Madison Square Garden listlessly booed for much of the fight.

The first three rounds were very slow, as it became clear Ibragimov sought to use his faster hands to try to pot-shot Klitschko. Ibragimov also tried to jab and feint his way inside, but Klitschko stuck his left hand out and chopped at Ibragimov’s gloves. This form of paddy cake apparently impressed the judges, but the crowd grew very restless and began booing. Ibragimov landed what amounted to the first combination of the fight, in round three, and to his credit, he attempted to work Klitschko’s body.

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Cautious, defensive-minded tactical bout doesn't win over MSG crowd.

By: Mike Indri, Ringside
Retired Boxers Foundation
February 23, 2008

NEW YORK - Wladimir Klitschko pawed, jabbed and swatted his way to a twelve round unanimous decision win over Sultan Ibragimov in a rare heavyweight unification title fight; which enabled Klitschko to add Ibragimov's World Boxing Organization title belt to his trophy case, along with his own International Boxing Federation championship crown.

Headlining a Madison Square Garden fightcard which featured several quick knockouts by talented local prospects and a ten round "Pier Six" style brawl between popular Irish middleweight John Duddy and Walid Smichet, the Klitschko-Ibragimov heavyweight clash was hoped to be an intriguing, classic battle of two champions willing to put their hard earned titles at risk in their quest to become the one and only true "Heavyweight Champion", instead the huge crowd had to endure twelve rounds of a tentative, strategic effort by the physically bigger and stronger Klitschko against a willing and game champion who had no answer to combat his obvious disadvantages in height (five inches) and weight (close to twenty pounds).

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By: Matt Yanofsky

In the first heavyweight unification since Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield in 1999, IBF king Wladimir Klitschko 50-3 (44 KO's) retained his belt while winning the WBO strap from previously unbeaten but untested Sultan Ibragimov 22-1-1 (17 KOs). After being outworked in an extremely uneventful first round by the smaller Ibragimov, Klitschko began using an effective jab working while using a parry like move to push Sultan's punches away.

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