01.06.07 – By Wray Edwards: Photo © by Wray Edwards. After the weigh-ins we had a chance to speak at length with Jeff Mayweather regarding Sultan’s training, Shannon’s weight and other issues. Jeff said that “In more than one way, it was a good thing that Ibragimov had the draw with Austin. That got Sultan’s attention to the need for improvement, and pretty much led to me being brought on board to work with him. We are much alike regarding many issues. Even though I live in Las Vegas, I don’t make the party scene or any of that. I enjoy my work so much that there is no need to make the scene.”
He went on to say that, “Sultan is also a serious person about his profession and takes great pleasure in training and preparing for each event.” Jeff also told me a few things, off the record, which I can’t mention until after the fight. We also ran into Sultan in the lobby and he looked relaxed, fit and friendly. The under-card is filled with some local heroes and some better known guys like Calvin Brock. The weights were as follows:
WBO WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, 12 ROUNDS:
Shannon Briggs, Brooklyn, NY, 48-4-1, 42 KO’s…273 lbs.
Sultan Ibragimov, Dagestan, Russia, 20-0-1, 17 KO’s…221 lbs.
NABO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, 12 ROUNDS:
Shamone Alvarez, Atlantic City, NJ, 17-0, 11 KO’s…146 lbs.
Jose Luis Cruz, Santa Anna, CA, 32-2-2, 26 KO’s…146 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHTS, 12 ROUNDS:
Calvin Brock, Charlotte, NC, 30-1, 23 KO’s…236 lbs.
Alex Gonzalez, Vega Baja, PR, 18-4, 8 KO’s…230 lbs.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS, EIGHT ROUNDS:
Giovani Lorenzo, Washington Heights, NY, 23-0, 15 KO’s…162.5 lbs.
Bruce Rumbloz, Stirling, IL, 21-12-2, 15 KO’s…162 lbs.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS, EIGHT ROUNDS:
Robert Steiglitz, Magdeburg, Germany, 29-1, 19 KO’s…176 lbs.
Marlon Hayes, Newark, NJ, 23-6, 11 KO’s…179 lbs.
FLYWEIGHTS, SIX ROUNDS:
Raul Martinez, San Antonio, TX, 18-0, 12 KO’s…114 lbs.
Alejandro Moreno, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, 21-21-3, 10 KO’s…112 lbs.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS, FOUR ROUNDS:
Patrick Majewski, Atlantic City, NJ, 3-0, 2 KO’s…161 lbs.
Vincent Irwin, Bayonne, NJ, 1-1, 1 KO, 160 lbs.
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS, FOUR ROUNDS:
Tiger Allen, Philadelphia, PA, 2-0, 1 KO…178 lbs.
Fitzgerald Johnson, Ashboro, NC, 1-0, 1 KO…175 lbs.
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS, FOUR ROUNDS:
Khabib Alakhverdiev, Kurush, Russia, 2-0, 1 KO…140 lbs.
Robert Acevedo, Puerto Rico, 141 lbs.