Unbeaten heavyweight contender, Ike Ibeabuchi, is making arrangement for a slot in the upcoming fight of Manny Pacquiao on April 9 as he hopes to continue his interrupted 20-fight winning streak before serving his term in prison in 1999 for sexual assault.
Ibeabuchi (20-0-0, 15 KOs), who defeated Chris Byrd by TKO during his last fight in March 1999, regained his freedom last month after spending 15 years in jail.
Immediately after regaining his freedom, the 42-year-old native of Nigeria enlisted Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz as his manager/adviser hoping he could land a supporting bout in Pacquiao’s April 9 card.
“Ibeabuchi has served his time and wants to improve himself and Manny feels that since he’s served his term and is trying to turn his life around, he deserves a second chance,” Koncz said.
The unbeaten Nigerian heavyweight fighter has yet to secure his licence to fight in Las Vegas and he also needs to undergo rigid medical tests to be sure he is in good health.
“I am definitely in shape and I understand I would have to prove this,” he said. “I need to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and I understand that I will have to prove myself worthy. Any of the tests that would be required of me, an EKG, an MRI, an EEG, those kinds of tests, X-rays, things that would be required to obtain a boxing license, were done while I was incarcerated. But I am willing to cooperate and do whatever so that I may obtain my boxing [license] and appear on this card in Las Vegas,” he said.
Koncz is set to sit down with Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum early next year to determine who will be Pacquaio’s next foe.
Pacquiao has yet to decide on his next opponent which is a choice between WBO light welterweight Champion Terence Crawford and WBO welterweight champion and former foe Timothy Bradley.
On Wednesday, Koncz confirmed that he has talked to Floyd Mayweather’s protegee Adrien Broner regarding the possibility of him facing Pacquiao on April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read more:
If Arum includes Broner in his new shortlist, Pacquiao will now have to choose from three possible opponents.
