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Philippines, 11 Mar 2026 |
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UNBEATEN 43 YEAR OLD HEAVYWEIGHT IKE IBEABUCHI HIRES MICHAEL KONCZ AS HIS ADVISER By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Tue, 29 Dec 2015  Ibeabuchi. Unbeaten 43 year old one-time top heavyweight, former Nigerian Ike ?The President? Ibeabuchi has hired Michael Koncz as his adviser as he plans to make a comeback beginning with a fight on the April 9 card of eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao whose longtime adviser is Koncz. Ibeabuchi who was an exciting fighter but has been out of the ring since March 20, 1999 when he knocked out Chris Byrd in five rounds, inflicting the first defeat on Byrd. Fight fans of that era recall Ibeabuchi?s war with heavy hitting David Tua in 1997 which saw the previously undefeated Tua suffer his first setback, losing a twelve round unanimous decision in which Ibeabuchi wom the WBC International heavyweight title. However, Ibeabuchi?s promising career was cut short for a sexual assault on a woman in a Las Vegas Hotel in July 1999. He was released from a Nevada prison in February last year but was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arizona until last month. Yahoo Sports Kevin Iole who broke the story, reports that Ibeabuchi is motivated to get back into contention for a world title shot and hired Koncz, the longtime adviser of eight division world champion Pacquiao to help him in his title quest. Koncz told Iole that getting Ibeabuchi on the Pacquiao card in Las Vegas in April is possible. Koncz said Ibeabuchi has ?served his time and wants to improve himself which has received Pacquiao?s approval with Manny feeling that the heavyweight has served his time and is trying to turn his life around and deserves a second chance. However, before he gets a license to fight again, Ibeabuchi will have to undergo a series of medical tests to prove he is fit enough to fight again. Just one pound over his weight of 244 pounds when he fought Byrd, Ibeabuchi said ?I need to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and I understand that I will have to prove myself worthy.? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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