Sultan Ibragimov Finishes Champ Off
// Russian boxer will brandish fists before the fight
Russian heavyweight boxer Sultan Ibragimov will fight Mexican boxer Javier Mora on March 10, 2007, in New York, instead of the fight against W.B.O champion Shannon Briggs cancelled due to the latter’s illness. No title is at stake, but Ibragimov’s team believes he will get a title no later than in two months after the March 10 fight, regardless of whether Briggs gets better or not.
The difficult situation in which Russian boxer Sultan Ibragimov found himself was at last solved yesterday. Shannon Briggs, the WBO Heavyweight champion against whom Ibragimov was to fight on March 10, 2007, at Madison Square Garden, refused last week to take part in the match saying he has lung fever complicated by deep-rooted asthma. The WBO satisfied Briggs’ request to postpone the match for indefinite time, simultaneously allowing Ibragimov to fight on March 10 against another boxer for the title of the so-called “temporary” champion.
Instead of a 12-round match for the title, Ibragimov will fight in a rating 10-round match. His rival will be a not very popular Mexican boxer Javier Mora. Ibragimov’s team wanted a more popular boxer for a rival, for instance Calvin Brock, Ray Mercer, Dominick Guinn, Lou Savarese. However, all of them refused, because March 10 is too soon, and top-level fighters make their schedules ahead.
However, the Russian boxer’s managers and promoters are sure that Ibragimov will win the title anyway in the two coming months. According to the WBO’s rules, the champion is to defend the title no later than in 180 days after the contract’s signing. This term is coming to an end in two months. Thus, Briggs will soon have to choose between fighting and giving up the title.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 22, 2007
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