Ike Ibeabuchi’s Unlikely Comeback Continues Tonight!

Tonight in Nigeria, it could be a case of season’s beatings. Or crazy Christmas Eve. Because, in a few hours’ time, the unlikely comeback of 52 year old heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi will enter phase-two, or fight-two. Ibeabuchi, a real terror of a fighter back in the 1990s, this before he fell victim to inner demons and was incarcerated, his ever so promising career derailed for over 20 years, will box a guy named Kabiru Towolawi, 26-16(22).

This will be “The President’s” second bout of the year, with Ike having made his shocking return to the ring and to winning ways back in the summer when he stopped Idris Afinni, also in Lagos, where he will fight tonight. And to be fair, Ibeabuchi did look to be in pretty good shape for a man of his years, this after having been out of the ring for so long. Ibeabuchi has kept himself in condition and he can still punch some.

Of course, it was ludicrous when Ike called out reigning heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk after his August win, but Ike is dreaming big – still, after all these years. Who knows what kind of a fight we can expect to see tonight. Towolawi is 45 years old, and he has been stopped ten times. You have to go back to August of 2024 to find the last time Towolawi boxed a recognisable name, this being cruiserweight contender Olenrewaju Durodola, who got up from a knockdown to win via disqualification when Towolawi was thrown out for excessive holding.

Towolawi, who also lost an earlier fight with Durodola, has lost his last two. Ibeabuchi may well pick up win number-two of his comeback tonight, and if so the man who thrilled us against David Tua and Chris Byrd all those years ago will absolutely fight on. And on, until he is beaten.

How far can Ibeabuchi’s comeback possibly go? Who the heck knows, but there was a substantial amount of interest/curiosity from the fans when Ike made his return in August, and maybe tonight’s fight will also pull in quite a crowd, both at the venue and on online.

Ibeabuchi, 21-0(16) turns 53 in February. Who knows when he will finally hang up his gloves for good!