Last night at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, the boxing world witnessed the historic comeback of Ike Ibeabuchi, aka “The President.” After being away for over 26 years, the former top heavyweight contender is finally feeling free, just as he wished.
For the unversed, Ibeabuchi once said in 2015, after being released from prison, that he wouldn’t feel free until he stepped back into the ring. Finally, he satisfied himself last night by defeating Idris Afinni in a dramatic third-round stoppage, preserving his undefeated record at 21-0.
While everyone thought the 52-year-old chose the path of retirement now, he shocked everyone by calling out Oleksandr Usyk for a surreal fight.
Ike Ibeabuchi Clings to Impossible Title Fight Demands Against Oleksandr Usyk
Ibeabuchi’s demand ignores boxing reality. He hasn’t fought since 1999 and spent 16 years in prison before being deported to Nigeria. Honestly speaking, the boxing landscape has completely changed since his last fight.
The love around Ike Ibeabuchi last night, after his impressive performance at age 52 and 26 years of inactivity, is beyond words, a true testament to how deeply fans still admire and respect him. 😍 ❤️ #fightgistmedia pic.twitter.com/xMLV2gIsCr
— Fight Gist media (@Fightgistmedia) August 24, 2025
Moreover, his recent opponent, Afinni, was hardly a championship-level competition, though the win maintained Ibeabuchi’s undefeated record on paper. Ultimately, it was more about shaking off ring rust than proving any real title credentials.
Perhaps Ibeabuchi feels the same way, as he revived the dangerous aura he carried in the 1990s by calling out Usyk, who already has legitimate title defenses ahead of him.
Ibeabuchi declared, “I want to fight Usyk for the championship. I’m 21-0 with 16 knockouts. Why can’t he fight me? I was top ten before him. If Usyk wants me to fight more, I will fight more. I love to fight. But I want him before time elapses.”
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However, boxing experts view his title demands as unrealistic given the circumstances. But Ibeabuchi has never been known for his wisdom. Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion, hasn’t officially booked his next fight yet. So, the boxing world will surely look forward to if anything unreal happens in the near future.
Ike Ibeabuchi’s Comeback Pales Compared to Boxing’s Greatest Late-Career Returns
Ibeabuchi was a threat in the 1990s, but his return is not as glorious as other compelling stories. So, his late-career comeback does not fall into the category of successful returns.
For example, George Foreman’s legendary comeback came after winning the heavyweight title at 45 in 1994. But he actually returned in 1987 and remained active for ten consecutive years until 1997. In that period, he participated in 24 fights against increasingly better competition.
Mike Tyson’s prison comeback in 1995 also holds a different significance. He returned very early at 29 after four years away. So he got legitimate contenders like Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. which set the stage for future heavyweight battles. Even Muhammad Ali’s comeback after his three-year exile was almost similar to Tyson’s.
In comparison, Ibeabuchi returned at age 52. But Afinni felt like unknown opposition for him, who provides no comparable foundation for title demands. That’s why the Usyk callout seems more like wishful thinking than a realistic boxing scenario.
