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FIRST
UNIFICATION BOUT OF THE DECADE
Hollywood, July 30 - For the first time in
Russian and International professional boxing history, fighters
representing the post-Soviet countries will clash to unite the
heavyweight world titles. It is also the first Heavyweight unification
bout to ever take place outside the United States. The last heavyweight
unification bout was held back in 1999, when the undisputed champion of
the world was determined in a clash between Lennox Lewis and Evander
Holyfield. Oscar De La Hoya, who is a co-promoter of Sultan Ibragimov,
is among many celebrities and special invited guests that have confirmed
plans to travel to Moscow on October 13th to witness this battle of epic
proportions.
Sultan Ibragimov at 32, is in his prime and ready to unify the
Heavyweight World Titles. During his five years as a professional boxer,
this Russian star has twenty-one wins and one draw in his twenty-two
fights, seventeen wins by knock-out. Sultan Ibragimov hoisted the Silver
Medal with pride at the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia. In
his professional career he holds decisive wins over such well-known
boxers as Zuri Lawrence, Friday Ahunanya, Alfred Cole and most
significantly a knockout victory of Lance Whitaker, who knocked out Oleg
Maskaev in the second round. In his pre-title clash on March 10th in New
York, Ibragimov defeated fellow Heavyweight Javier Mora, securing
another slot in the record books of Madison Square Garden heavyweight
boxing history – a knock-out just 46 seconds into the fight! When Jeff
Mayweather joined Ibragimov’s team he helped the boxer refine his
defensive skills, movement, fight strategy and tactics. Sultan has
always been known for precise punching, counterstrike ability against
opponents on the move, speed, agility and striking power. These skills,
which are an essential component for a champions’ fight calculations and
discipline, have been cultivated and have allowed Ibragimov to propel
his career to another level. All of Ibragimov’s best boxing qualities
were displayed in the title fight against Shannon Briggs. This top
ranked American boxer, whose opponents’ list includes such legendary
names as George Foreman, Lennox Lewis and Ray Mercer, lost to Ibragimov.
This was one of Sultan’s best tactical fights, as he left no opportunity
for Briggs to take over the fight. Ibragimov won a convincing victory by
decision and took the boxing world by storm, dominating the 6 foot 5
inch enormous puncher and capturing the Heavyweight World Title on
American soil in Atlantic City, NJ.
Ruslan Chagaev nicknamed “The White Tyson”, is three years younger than
his opponent but has a 10-year professional boxing career. Chagaev holds
an unblemished professional record of twenty-three victories in
twenty-three bouts, 17 of which have been won by knock-out. A legendary
amateur, twice winning the Asian and World Championship, winner of eight
Asian Boxing Championships, definitely one of the most decorated
sportsmen of Uzbekistan, Chagaev was born on October 19th 1978 in
Andizhan, Uzbekistan, on the same date as such re-known boxers as
Evander Holyfield and Marion Wilson. Ruslan now lives and works to
prefect his craft in Germany. Chagaev’s hero is the great Mike Tyson,
and in the ring he goes straight for the knock-out, having tremendous
power behind each and every punch. He won the world title against
Nickolai Valuev, ‘The Russian Giant’. In fact he won a well prepared,
tactical fight over a physically superior opponent just as Ibragimov did
versus Briggs. Chagaev secured his victory by gaining points, round
after round not letting Valuev exercise his physical superiority. In
that fight Ruslan displayed the true characteristics of a real champion.
He executed a well designed fight plan, exercising great discipline,
boxing skills and closely following his coach’s directions.
These two champions will not compromise and the winner of the bout will
get the opportunity to possibly unite the WBO and WBA with IBF and WBC
Heavyweight World Titles to become the undisputed champion of the world!
This will not only be a battle of two boxers, but a clash of two
completely different boxing styles. Starting from a Soviet amateur
sports background and moving to the U.S. for a professional career,
Ibragimov represents the American school of boxing. Chagaev who’s been
training and fighting in Germany, up to this point represents the
European school of boxing.
This first unification bout of the decade will surely go down as an
unforgettable event in the history of heavyweight championship fights.
Both boxers are strong-willed punchers and hungry for victory. They are
both left-handers which makes the result still more unpredictable.
Press events:
An announcing press-conference is scheduled for August 2nd 2007 from
15:00 till 16:00 at the press-center of the ‘ITAR TASS’ agency in
Moscow. |
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