Sultan Ibragimov

Sultan Ahmed Ibragimov Magomedsalichowitsch (Russian Султан - Ахмед Магомедсалихович Ибрагимов abroad mostly under the name Sultan known; born March 8, 1975 in Kaspijsk, Dagestan ASSR, Soviet Union ) is a retired Russian heavyweight boxer and WBO heavyweight champion.

Amateur career

Ibragimov, a Muslim Aware of the Russian republic of Dagestan, did not begin until the age of 17 years with the boxes.

In 2000, the southpaw was at the European Championships Second, he lost it in the final against Frenchman Jackson Chanet. In the final of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in the 91- kg class, he was defeated by Cuban Félix Savón and won the silver medal. During the tournament he beat Jackson Chanet, France ( 18:13) and Vladimir Chanturia, Georgia ( 19:4 ). 2001 Ibragimov was Russian champion and also finished at the World Championships in Belfast a third place after the semi-final Odlanier Solís, Cuba ( 23:13 ), was defeated. During the tournament he suggested, inter alia, Pulew Kubrat, Bulgaria ( 15:12 ). In chemistry Cup 2002 defeating Steffen Kretschmann, lost in the finals but again against Solís.

Professional career

In 2002, Ibragimov in the professional camp. He boxed mainly in the U.S., initially in the controversial trainer Panama Lewis, who several times during one of his boxers manipulated the gloves and the drug-addicted Aaron Pryor in a fight against Alexis Argüello a mysterious ( presumably prepared ) slipped bottle. Ibragimov is sponsored by the controversial Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.

In 2005 he defeated the first -known opponents, such as former IBF cruiserweight world champion Alfred Cole, the Nigerian Friday Ahunanya, who first struck him in his professional career to the ground, and Lance Whitaker, against whom he prematurely won in the seventh round in December of this year.

In May 2006, the IBF decided that Ibragimov should fight for the position of mandatory challenger of Wladimir Klitschko vs. Ray Austin. But Austin refused at first, and then the IBF appointed next opponent John Ruiz as Ibragimows the elimination bout. As Ruiz, however, in the WBA rankings moved up to the position of winners, he also said from the encounter.

The IBF then sat down again a battle between Ibragimov and Austin where the Austin this time agreed. Ibragimows company promoter Warriors Boxing auctioned the hosting rights of the struggle for 810,000 U.S. dollars. The only other Bidders company Don King Productions was only from the minimum bid. Ibragimov separated undecided on July 28, 2006 by Austin, both boxers had in the course of combat on the ground. Coach Lewis was fired after this disappointment.

Despite the fact that thus no mandatory challenger for the IBF title holder was determined in the ring, it will not come to an immediate rematch between Austin and Ibragimov. Austin was named " green table " to number one on the IBF. Ibragimov was able to advance through the draw in the ranking of the WBO to the first position and ascend to the mandatory challenger of title holder Shannon Briggs. The title fight against Briggs was scheduled for March 2007, but had to be postponed because of illness Briggs '. As a replacement opponent for Briggs Ibragimov competed in the meantime against Javier Mora, Ibragimov prepared the Mexicans his first knockout loss. He won in the first round. The title fight against WBO champion Briggs he won on June 2, 2007 in Atlantic City by unanimous decision.

Then he was supposed to start on October 13, 2007 in Moscow against the Uzbek WBA champion Ruslan Chagayev in a unification fight. Chagayev called off due to a stomach disorder; but according to the boxing - September 2007 issue he is suffering from hepatitis disease. Ibragimov argued instead against Evander Holyfield, who as a now 44 -year-old wanted to capture a heavyweight title for the fifth time. Holyfield was the much more agile Ibragimov, who won by unanimous decision, but never at risk.

Ibragimov boxed then on 23 February 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York in a title unification bout against the reigning IBF and IBO champion Wladimir Klitschko, the first unification bout in the heavyweight division since 1999. The struggle and thus he lost the WBO title over twelve clear rounds on points.

Since this fight Ibragimov remained inactive. End of July 2009 it was announced that Ibragimov has ended his career.

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