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.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
76ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled
Sat, 31 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS MURTAZALIEV AND KELLY CLASH FOR WORLD TITLE
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Boxers Make Weight for Brico Santig’s Exciting 21-Bout Promotion in Thailand (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 30 Jan 2026