Ray Austin: "Hey Wlad, I'm Not Brock"

[Kid Achilles]

I am a little worried about this fight, to be honest. I hope Wlad smashes his lights out but I will not underestimate Austin again.

[kayjay]

Wlad Klitschko is not Sultan Ibragimov

[Xcel]

This isnt real is it?

[Kid Achilles]

You're right, he isn't. But that doesn't mean he won't have trouble with Austin.

PS Personally I think this is a meaningless fight and would rather not see Wlad fight Austin. His popularity in America will wane somewhat if Austin even goes say 7 or 8 rounds, and his career will be just about over if he is somehow knocked out. He has nothing to gain here. Don't like this fight at all. He needs to fight Maskaev and get out of this waste of time mandatory.

[Derranged_]

This is a '"meaningless" fight for Klitschko; unification needs to occurr in 2007 and then the mandatories can get there shots.

[Welter_Skelter]

I love when these losers crawl out of the woodwork and start declaring their own greatness and who they are going to beat and how they are going to do it.. and so forth.. Ray Austin.. WHO ARE YOU ANYWAYS?? A ****ing no good tosser low life peice of **** **** wad.. thats who.. Oh Don King sure knows how to find these chumps..
YES MR Austin.. you are certainly NO Calvin Brock.. NOPE.. you are not even half the boxer Brock is..

[ejk22]

The IBF ruling was something I was not aware of.
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In his last appearance, the higher-ranked Austin (23-3-4, 16 KOs) battled up-and-coming heavyweight contender Sultan Ibragimov to a draw in an IBF heavyweight title elimination bout to determine their mandatory challenger on July 28 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. Austin challenged the decision because the referee missed the knockdown he scored in round seven.

The IBF agreed with Austin and ruled in his favor on Oct. 26.

IBF President Marian Muhammad wrote in her ruling, “The IBF agrees that had the knockdown been called by the referee in round 7, Austin would have been declared the official winner of the bout and been elevated to the mandatory position.”

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The problem that I have with this is. The IBF looked into this and voted in favor of a Don King fighter (Ray Austin) which mean's that if Wlad asks for an exception in order to fight Maskaev for unification the IBF most certainly will strip Wlad because the IBF will succumb to Don King's pressure. Once again people, if any of you are wondering why there is no unified champ in the heavyweight division, look no further than at lucifer himself (don king).

[Kid Achilles]

This isn't any stranger to me than Briggs getting a shot. At least Austin drew with a top ten fighter. The last "impressive" win Briggs had before getting his title shot was over a finished Ray Mercer.

Wlad should not have to fight Austin, but it's no more crazy than Sergei having to defend his title against Briggs.

[ejk22]

I say Wlad should fight Austin and get it out of the way. Just knock the ****er out once and for all so that way we do not have to hear from him anymore. Then fight for unification. Think about this for a second. As much as we would all like to see Wlad and Oleg fight for unification, the politics involving the WBC and the IBF are going to **** **** up anyway. I just cannot see the WBC allowing Oleg to fight Wlad after Oleg defeat's Okhello because the WBC has promised both Peter and Toney an immediate shot at the WBC title. I do not believe that the WBC will go back on it's word.

[Kid Achilles]

In an ideal world everyone would move aside and allow the unification to happen as it's the best thing for boxing and would enhance the moneymaking potential of the sport for everyone in the long run. But people are selfish, petty, and shortsighted so this won't happen.