Sultan Ibragimov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sultan Ibragimov Султан Ибрагимов
Statistics
Real name	Sultan-Ahmed Magomedsalihovich Ibragimov
Rated at	Heavyweight
Height	1.88 m
Reach	193 cm
Nationality	Russian
Born	(1975-03-08) 8 March 1975 (age 50) Tlyarata, Dagestan ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	24
Wins	22
Wins by KO	17
Losses	1
Draws	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Russia Olympic Games Silver 2000 Sydney Heavyweight European Championships Silver 2000 Tampere Heavyweight World Championships Bronze 2001 Belfast Heavyweight

Sultan-Ahmed Magomedsalihovich Ibragimov (born 8 March 1975) is a Russian former professional boxer. He competed from 2002 to 2008. Sultan held the WBO world heavyweight boxing title from 2007 to 2008. He was considered one of the world's top heavyweights.

As an amateur boxer, Sultan won silver medals at the 2000 Olympics and the 2000 European Championships. He also earned a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships. All these achievements were in the heavyweight division. Sultan is one of only five former world heavyweight champions who were never knocked out. He only lost his final fight to Wladimir Klitschko.

Sultan's Amateur Boxing Journey

Sultan Ibragimov started boxing when he was 17 years old. He moved to Rostov on Don and joined a local college. There, he trained with Anatoly Chernyayev. Soon after, a top Russian boxing official, Ramazan Abacharayev, noticed him. Abacharayev became Sultan's trainer and mentor for many years.

Sultan had over 130 amateur fights in the heavyweight division. He won 135 of these matches. He was known for his strong performances and never being stopped by an opponent.

Amateur Achievements

Sultan won several important medals during his amateur career:

• Silver Medal: 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
• Silver Medal: 2000 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Tampere, Finland.
• Bronze Medal: 2001 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• Gold Medal: Russian National Championships in 1999.
• Gold Medal: Black Sea Cup in 1999.
• Gold Medal: Four Nations International Tournament in 2000.
• Gold Medal: Strandzha Cup in 2001.

Sultan's Professional Boxing Career

After his successful amateur career, Sultan Ibragimov became a professional boxer. His first professional fight was on May 25, 2002. He won by knockout in the first round. Sultan won his first four fights by knockout too.

Early Fights and Challenges

Sultan won his first five professional fights by knockout. His sixth fight was against Chad Butler. Sultan knocked Butler down three times but couldn't finish him. He won the fight by a unanimous decision. Legendary boxing trainer Angelo Dundee was in Sultan's corner for this fight. Dundee praised Sultan's talent and predicted he would become a world champion.

Sultan's next fight was in Russia, his home country. He knocked out Carlos Barcelete in the third round. Dundee continued to praise Sultan's skills. Sultan then returned to the United States. He won the WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title in October 2004. He knocked out Najee Shaheed in the third round.

By the end of 2004, Sultan had a perfect record of 14 wins and no losses. He had 12 knockouts. He was ranked among the top heavyweight contenders by the WBO.

Big Steps Up: Cole, Lawrence, Ahunanya

In 2005, Sultan faced tougher opponents. On March 3, 2005, he fought Al Cole, a former world champion. Sultan knocked Cole down in the third round. He then won the fight by technical knockout (TKO). This showed Sultan's power and skill.

Next, Sultan fought Zuri Lawrence, who had never been knocked out. Sultan dominated the fight. He knocked Lawrence down four times. The referee stopped the fight in the eleventh round to protect Lawrence. Sultan successfully defended his WBO Asia Pacific title multiple times.

On September 16, 2005, Sultan fought Friday Ahunanya. This was a tough fight. Sultan was knocked down in the third round, but he quickly recovered. The fight was stopped early due to a cut on Ahunanya's eye. Sultan won by technical decision. He was ranked among the top 5 heavyweights by the WBO.

Facing Lance Whitaker

Sultan's next big fight was against Lance Whitaker in December 2005. Whitaker was a tall and strong opponent. The fight started with a lot of excitement, even a small brawl at the press conference!

In the fight, Sultan was very aggressive. He knocked Whitaker down in the first and second rounds. Sultan continued to land many punches. In the seventh round, the referee stopped the fight. Sultan won by TKO. After the fight, boxing legend Mike Tyson praised Sultan. He called Sultan one of the best heavyweights in the world.

The Draw Against Ray Austin

In 2006, Sultan faced Ray Austin in an important fight. The winner would get a chance to fight for a world title. Sultan knocked Austin down in the fourth round. He seemed to be winning most of the rounds. However, the judges scored the fight a split draw. This meant there was no clear winner. Many people, including Sultan's team, felt he should have won. Despite the draw, the fight was exciting and helped both boxers become more well-known.

Becoming a World Champion

By October 2006, Sultan Ibragimov was the top-ranked heavyweight by the WBO. He was set to challenge Shannon Briggs for the WBO world heavyweight title. The fight was first delayed because Briggs was sick.

Sultan then fought Javier Mora as a warm-up. He knocked Mora out in just 46 seconds! This was the fastest knockout in a main event at Madison Square Garden.

Winning the WBO Title Against Shannon Briggs

Sultan finally fought Shannon Briggs for the WBO world heavyweight title on June 2, 2007. Sultan was much lighter than Briggs. Sultan used his speed and movement to outsmart Briggs. He avoided Briggs' punches and landed his own. Sultan won the fight by a unanimous decision. He became the new WBO world heavyweight champion!

Defending the Title Against Evander Holyfield

After winning the title, Sultan was supposed to fight Ruslan Chagaev to unite two world titles. But Chagaev got sick, so former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield stepped in. Holyfield is a boxing legend.

The fight took place in Moscow, Russia, on October 13, 2007. Sultan fought carefully, using his speed and combinations. He hurt Holyfield with body punches. Sultan controlled most of the fight. He won by unanimous decision, successfully defending his WBO title. This fight was very popular in Russia, watched by 7.5 million people.

Unification Fight Against Wladimir Klitschko

In late 2007, Sultan Ibragimov began talks to fight Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko was the IBF world heavyweight champion. This would be a huge fight, uniting two world titles. It was the first heavyweight unification fight since 1999. The fight was set for February 23, 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Many experts thought Klitschko would win. Klitschko's trainer, Emmanuel Steward, said Sultan would be Wladimir's toughest opponent. He praised Sultan's speed and movement.

The Fight and Retirement

In the fight, both boxers were very careful. Klitschko used his height and reach advantage to keep Sultan away. Sultan tried to get closer but found it hard to land punches. Klitschko controlled the fight with his jabs and straight punches. Sultan lost the fight by unanimous decision. This was his first and only loss as a professional boxer.

Years later, Sultan said he realized during the fight that he was going to lose. He explained that Klitschko's strategy of staying away made it very difficult for him.

Sultan Ibragimov retired from boxing in 2009. He later shared that he had ongoing problems with his left hand, including several fractures.

Sultan's Personal Life

Sultan Ibragimov is from Dagestan, a region in Russia. He is of Avar descent, which is an ethnic group from the Caucasus mountains. He is also a Muslim.

Professional Boxing Record

Television Viewership

Sultan Ibragimov's fights were watched by many people, especially in Russia.

United States Viewership

Russia Viewership

See also

In Spanish: Sultán Ibraguímov para niños