Ibragimov scores early knockout; Greenberg wins 25th straight
By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer
March 10, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- Unbeaten Sultan Ibragimov is ready for the big building.
The Russian heavyweight didn't have to break a sweat in his 46 seconds of fury Saturday night, knocking out Javier Mora. Next up, he wants one of the four heavyweight champions, and in the main Madison Square Garden, not in the arena's theater, where he easily disposed of Mora.
"I hope to see Shannon Briggs soon," Ibragimov said of the WBO champion. "I hope to see Briggs in the ring. He talks too much."
Ibragimov originally was scheduled to meet Briggs for his title, but Briggs came down with pneumonia. Mora was his substitute -- and not much of one.
Ibragimov showed the speed of a lightweight in stunning Mora from the outset. The Russian landed a right and a left to start the fight, and Mora immediately went down. He stumbled before getting up, and didn't last much longer as Ibragimov pummeled him until referee Michael Ortega stopped it.
Ibragimov was as quick and powerful as the other Russian-born fighter on the card, Roman Greenberg, was supposed to be. The undefeated Greenberg displayed little of the skills that have won him 25 fights, but had more than enough for a unanimous decision over Michael Simms.
Then Ibragimov (20-0-1) went to work -- and made short work of Mora (21-4-2).
"He kept coming forward, so I had to take advantage of that," Ibragimov said. "I wanted to box tonight, but I didn't have to."
All he really needed to do was land one shot and Mora pretty much was through.
"I was ready to go 10 rounds. I knew he was a very strong guy," Ibragimov said. "But it ended a lot sooner."
Mora never threw a punch that mattered.
"It was do or die and I cracked, personally," he admitted. "I did not have my best stuff, but I brought my best effort."
Greenberg didn't have his best, but he was fortunate his opponent did just about nothing.
Greenberg -- who represents Israel, where he moved when he was 11, but lives in England -- didn't look very comfortable in New York. The best action came in the final minute of the 10th round, but by then the outcome was long decided: Greenberg got the nod from the three judges, all by 99-91 scores as he won nine of the 10 rounds.
Billed as one of the quicker and more mature young fighters, the 24-year-old Greenberg looked plodding and, at times, frustrated by Simms. But Simms provided so little of a threat that the outcome never was in doubt.
Greenberg did land an assortment of body punches with his unorthodox style in which he carries his left arm high but to the side of his face. Outweighing Simms 234 to 213, he never was able to take advantage of that edge, however, to stagger Simms.
"I did what I had to do. You can obviously always do better," Greenberg said. "I am happy with the win, my trainer is happy. I and still learning, but soon I will get there."
Where?
"It feels very good to fight at Madison Square Garden, and some day I will be fighting for the title in the big Garden," he said.
He'll need to bring a lot more than he showed Saturday if he ever gets a title shot.
Also, welterweight Shamone Alvarez made short work of Travis Hartman, landing a powerful right to the body that backed up Hartman, who then collapsed to the canvas and couldn't get up. The bout lasted 2:05, and Alvarez ran his record to 17-0 with 11 knockouts.
Light welterweight Edgar Santana of Puerto Rico won his 15th straight with a split decision over Dairo Jose Esalas, who was bothered through most of the eight rounds by a messy cut to the side of his left eye.
By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer
March 10, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- Unbeaten Sultan Ibragimov is ready for the big building.
The Russian heavyweight didn't have to break a sweat in his 46 seconds of fury Saturday night, knocking out Javier Mora. Next up, he wants one of the four heavyweight champions, and in the main Madison Square Garden, not in the arena's theater, where he easily disposed of Mora.
"I hope to see Shannon Briggs soon," Ibragimov said of the WBO champion. "I hope to see Briggs in the ring. He talks too much."
Ibragimov originally was scheduled to meet Briggs for his title, but Briggs came down with pneumonia. Mora was his substitute -- and not much of one.
Ibragimov showed the speed of a lightweight in stunning Mora from the outset. The Russian landed a right and a left to start the fight, and Mora immediately went down. He stumbled before getting up, and didn't last much longer as Ibragimov pummeled him until referee Michael Ortega stopped it.
Ibragimov was as quick and powerful as the other Russian-born fighter on the card, Roman Greenberg, was supposed to be. The undefeated Greenberg displayed little of the skills that have won him 25 fights, but had more than enough for a unanimous decision over Michael Simms.
Then Ibragimov (20-0-1) went to work -- and made short work of Mora (21-4-2).
"He kept coming forward, so I had to take advantage of that," Ibragimov said. "I wanted to box tonight, but I didn't have to."
All he really needed to do was land one shot and Mora pretty much was through.
"I was ready to go 10 rounds. I knew he was a very strong guy," Ibragimov said. "But it ended a lot sooner."
Mora never threw a punch that mattered.
"It was do or die and I cracked, personally," he admitted. "I did not have my best stuff, but I brought my best effort."
Greenberg didn't have his best, but he was fortunate his opponent did just about nothing.
Greenberg -- who represents Israel, where he moved when he was 11, but lives in England -- didn't look very comfortable in New York. The best action came in the final minute of the 10th round, but by then the outcome was long decided: Greenberg got the nod from the three judges, all by 99-91 scores as he won nine of the 10 rounds.
Billed as one of the quicker and more mature young fighters, the 24-year-old Greenberg looked plodding and, at times, frustrated by Simms. But Simms provided so little of a threat that the outcome never was in doubt.
Greenberg did land an assortment of body punches with his unorthodox style in which he carries his left arm high but to the side of his face. Outweighing Simms 234 to 213, he never was able to take advantage of that edge, however, to stagger Simms.
"I did what I had to do. You can obviously always do better," Greenberg said. "I am happy with the win, my trainer is happy. I and still learning, but soon I will get there."
Where?
"It feels very good to fight at Madison Square Garden, and some day I will be fighting for the title in the big Garden," he said.
He'll need to bring a lot more than he showed Saturday if he ever gets a title shot.
Also, welterweight Shamone Alvarez made short work of Travis Hartman, landing a powerful right to the body that backed up Hartman, who then collapsed to the canvas and couldn't get up. The bout lasted 2:05, and Alvarez ran his record to 17-0 with 11 knockouts.
Light welterweight Edgar Santana of Puerto Rico won his 15th straight with a split decision over Dairo Jose Esalas, who was bothered through most of the eight rounds by a messy cut to the side of his left eye.
