25.09.07 – By John Martinez – Boxingrealm.com: On October 13, live from Moscow and shown in real time on PPV, WBO heavyweight champion, Sultan Ibragimov (21,0,1,17KO’s) will defend his title against the legend and former four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield (42,8,2,27KO’s). This fight will pit a young and determined belt holder against a proven fierce warrior that believes destiny is on his side. Here is what the champ had to say.
JM: Have you prepared for this fight any differently than other fights you have had?
SI: Well we have done pretty much the same work as we always have. But we have trained more on my defense for this fight. Holyfield is very good and very dangerous so we have to prepare for him very seriously.
I have been working and sparring with two smaller fighters and one big one in order to get ready for Holyfield. I don’t want to give their names, but two of them are undefeated fighters.
JM: Evander recently said that he admires your heart and believes you have a good work ethic. What are your thoughts on “ The Real Deal”?
SI: I think that Holyfield is a real fighter. Every fight you know he is going to try and be his best. He is very good and has done a lot in his career.
JM: Do you believe that this fight will prove to be tougher than your original opponent?
SI: Well I think that with Holyfield, I fight a guy that has a bigger name. With Chagaev, I would have fought a man with a title. Both would be tough fights, but with Holyfield, I get bigger attention. He is very tough. He is not going to be easy.
JM: I spoke with your manager, Boris Grinberg earlier and he told me that in a possible match up with Sam Peter and Wladimir Klitschko, you would “ make Peter look like a fool” and against Wlad you would be “ Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster put together”. What are thoughts on his comments?
SI: Well Boris can talk all he wants because he likes to talk and he is not the one in the ring. I am the fighter. I am the one that has to get in the ring. I don’t like to look past my next fights. I want to only think about Holyfield right now and after this fight, we will talk about the other opponents. I don’t talk too much like Boris. Boris likes to talk too much.
JM: Do you feel any added pressure facing a man that not only wants to take your title, but also will make you the person that he defeated for his historic fifth world title?
SI: Oh yes, of course. I don’t want to be that guy. He has a chance to make more history and I don’t want him to do that on me. That is why I am trying very hard for this fight.
JM: What has Jeff Mayweather improved the most in your fighting style?
SI: Oh with Jeff, I work harder now. He knows how to make me do more and get more out of me. With him, I have gotten much better at my balance, defense, and movements. I am a smarter fighter now. He teaches me also how to do better with my distance too. He prepares better than I have been before.
JM: Thank you very much for your time Sultan.
SI: Thank you too.
BORIS GRINBERG SPEAKS ABOUT WBO CHAMP SULTAN IBRAGIMOV, HOLYFIELD, SAM PETER, AND WLADIMIR
“He will make Peter look like a fool.”
By John Martinez – BoxingRealm.com — Moments ago, I spoke with Boris Grinberg, manager of WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov regarding Sultan’s upcoming clash with four time heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield on October 13 live on PPV. He graciously accepted the interview and also gave his views on what a match up would look like between his charge and newly crowned Interim WBC titlist Sam Peter would be plus how his fighter would take on IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko should they ever meet.
JM: Boris, would you please give your honest thoughts on what was/is going through your mind now that Evander Holyfield is facing your charge, WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov as opposed to the original foe, WBA Ruslan Chagaev?
BG: Well, first of all, it was a big shock when I heard that Chagaev couldn’t fight because of his health. Sultan was also upset because he had promised all of his fans that he was going to unify the titles. That wasn’t going to happen now. We did try and look at other available fighters and it was Holyfield who was most available at the time.
But also understand that all of Moscow was covered with big signs and advertisements saying that this was going to be a big fight between Chagaev and Ibragimov. So, we had to spend a lot of money to change those signs and change the advertising for this fight. Now we understand that this was better for Sultan because more people know of Holyfield and not Chagaev. So this is going to be better for Sultan because he will get more famous from this one fight since he’s fighting the “ Real Deal”.
JM: What do you think about Samuel Peter being named the Interim WBC heavyweight champion?
BG: Well first of all, we are taking Holyfield very very seriously. I have seen him and he looks like he is in very good shape. He looks fit and real, real good. We don’t want to look past Holyfield. But since you asked, I will tell you my personal opinion on the issue.
You know, we have a genius in Jeff Mayweather. He has been working with Sultan for a year now and has changed him a lot. Jeff doesn’t talk a lot like his nephew or brothers. He is very quiet and confident. He comes in and does his business and has really made Sultan a better all around professional boxer. Sultan isn’t afraid of anybody. He wants to fight them all.
But all fighters get their belts and then say they want to unify, but instead they fight their mandatory fights, get paid, and then they’re out. Not Sultan. He is looking great. He is very smart and I will tell you that he will make Peter look like a fool.
I personally want to see Sultan fight Wladimir. Too many guys stay on the outside against him. With Jeff Mayweather, we have a genius trainer that will draw up a plan that will prepare Sultan very well to take advantage of Sultan’s strengths. This would be like Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster put together in one fighting on the inside of Klitschko.
I think that HBO and SHOWTIME have made a big mistake in thinking that only Wladimir Klitschko fights in the division.
JM: Thank you for your time Boris.
BG: Thank you.
The fight for the WBO heavyweight title between four time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield (42,8,2, 27 KO’s) and current belt holder, Sultan Ibragimov (21,0,1, 17KO’s), will air live from Moscow on PPV October 13 at 1PM ET/10 AM PT. The suggested price for this card is $34.95.
john@boxingrealm.com