Chagaev-Ibragimov Set To Unify in October

[Derranged_]

Something tells me this is just a publicity propaganda...

In today's boxing money talks... Why would they want to unify the belts with two unknown fighters?

Wouldn't they (network, promoters) want to bring them up in at least one or two title defenses and then have a unification bout.

But maybe in Moscow the fight will make sense.


Anyhow.. we, the fans, are not after the $$$ and want to get some movement in the HW division.. so good news indeed!

Soprano, with all due respect, take the ****in 'blinders' off! Ibragimov and Chagaev are house hold names in German, Russia, and other Ex-Soviet states. This fight will be huge if it's in Moscow or Germany...

[ceboxer15]

HOLLYWOOD, FL - This October, Seminole Warriors Boxing, Golden Grain Promotions and Sampson Lewkowicz, in association with Universum Box Promotions, will promote the first heavyweight title unification bout in close to eight years when WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov faces off against his WBA counterpart, Ruslan Chagaev, in Moscow, Russia. [details]

Finally!!! This is great news, this is going to be a good fight. Hopefully, after this fight, the winner will fight the other two champions next.

[M.I Truth ?]

Great news. It a process but we are getting there. Next step should be the winner of this fight going agaist the the winner of the Sam/Oleg/Vatali triple threat jump off. Then 1 day the winner of all that could fight Vlad. ( If its not Vitali)

[TheEvilSaint]

its about goddamn time. but i believe it when i see it.

[BrooklynBomber]

Soprano, with all due respect, take the ****in 'blinders' off! Ibragimov and Chagaev are house hold names in German, Russia, and other Ex-Soviet states. This fight will be huge if it's in Moscow or Germany...

I would not say that they are house hold names in either germany or russia.

They are rather popular, but beither reached the popularit of Klitschkos or even Valuev.

They still have a lot of place to grow in terms of popularity. People really did not see enough of either fighter.

And to be popular you have to be constantly promoted, which neither had been.

[PBDS]

This is great news! Hats off to Ruslan and Sultan. This will be a real battle and a close fight between two very similar fighters, and although I will be rooting for r Ibragimov, I think there is at least a 50% chance Chagaev will win. This one could end in a KO for either, both have power.

The big obstacle to unification has been Don King. I expect the winner of Wlad/Brewster to unify with the winner of this fight, since neither are King's fighters.

....I hope your right about this part. If not then Wlad is kind of left out in the cold with no chance to unify if Vitali takes out Peter. I just hope one of those guys has the balls to attempt to fight Wlad for all three.

[Steelhammer86]

I would not say that they are house hold names in either germany or russia.

They are rather popular, but beither reached the popularit of Klitschkos or even Valuev.

They still have a lot of place to grow in terms of popularity. People really did not see enough of either fighter.

And to be popular you have to be constantly promoted, which neither had been.

They are actually well-known and popular in Russia, especially Sultan Ibragimov. Remember they both had extensive amateur careers, and that brings more media attention over there. Sultan won a silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. The fight between Briggs and Ibragimov was watched by a lot of people in Russia, despite it happening at 3 am their time. I understand it's been re-broadcast several times on Russian TV over the past weeks.

While the popularity of boxing has been on the decline in North America the last few years, it has increased substantially in Russia.

[Katz]

oh yeah! its time for heavy unification....

[Zerwas1]

Timor Ibragimov lately said that SultanIbragimov and Chageav are his friends and some 3musketeers ****, so I think Chagaev and Sultan are friends too.

Makes it interesting

[BrooklynBomber]

They are actually well-known and popular in Russia, especially Sultan Ibragimov. Remember they both had extensive amateur careers, and that brings more media attention over there. Sultan won a silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. The fight between Briggs and Ibragimov was watched by a lot of people in Russia, despite it happening at 3 am their time. I understand it's been re-broadcast several times on Russian TV over the past weeks.

While the popularity of boxing has been on the decline in North America the last few years, it has increased substantially in Russia.

Neither Sultan nor Ruslan have a level of popularity that Valuev had, first of all they are not russians in a pure sense of it(both are from Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan or whatever) which proved to be rather important from marketing point of view due to extensively nationalistic moods in Russia. Another thing was that although they were marketed, most of the marketing power was targeted at Valuev who later was exposed as a flop. Both of the fighters pretty much "grew up" in Valuev's shadow.
Yes, they are rather popular, but neither got the street recognition factor that Valuev or Klitschkos have.