Sultan Ibragimov

Sultan-Ahmed Magomedsalihovich Ibragimov (Russian: Султан-Ахмед Магомедсалихович Ибрагимов; born 8 March 1975) is a Russian former professional boxer who competed from 2002 to 2008, and held the WBO heavyweight title from 2007 to 2008. As an amateur he won silver medals at the 2000 Olympics and 2000 European Championships, and bronze at the 2001 World Championships, all in the heavyweight division.
Ibragimov is only the sixth southpaw world heavyweight champion in history: the others being Michael Moorer, Corrie Sanders, Chris Byrd, Ruslan Chagaev, and Charles Martin.

2000 Silver medal as a heavyweight in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Results:

• Defeated Pauga Laulau (Samoa) RSCO-4
• Defeated Jackson Chanet (France) PTS (18-13)
• Defeated Vladimer Tchanturia (Georgia) PTS (19-14)
• Lost to Félix Savón (Cuba) PTS (13-21)

2000 Silver medal as a heavyweight at the European Championship in Tampere, Finland.
Results:

• Defeated Primislav Dimovski (Macedonia) PTS
• Defeated Alexander Yatsenko (Ukraine) AB-3
• Defeated Andreas Gustavsson (Sweden)
• Lost to Jackson Chanet (France) DSQ

2001 Bronze medal at the World Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Results:

• Defeated Stephen Reynolds (Ireland) RSC-2
• Defeated Kubrat Pulev (Bulgaria) PTS
• Lost to Odlanier Solis (Cuba) PTS (13-23)

Ibragimov turned professional and rose through the heavyweight ranks by knocking out journeymen Al Cole, Zuri Lawrence, Friday Ahunanya and Lance Whitaker. On 28 July 2007, Ibragimov's record improved to 19-0-1 when he fought to a draw with Ray Austin in a grueling 12 round IBF heavyweight title eliminator.

WBO heavyweight champion

Despite the draw against Ray Austin, Ibragimov received a title shot from another sanctioning organization, the WBO. He was scheduled to challenge Shannon Briggs for the WBO heavyweight title on 10 March 2007, but because Briggs became ill with pneumonia, Ibragimov instead faced Javier Mora at Madison Square Garden in New York on that date. Ibragimov knocked out Mora 46 seconds into the first round. This win broke the record for the quickest knockout in a main event bout in Madison Square Garden, which was previously held by Lee Savold who defeated Buddy Walker in 1948.

Ibragimov faced the heavy-handed WBO Heavyweight Champion Shannon Briggs in Atlantic City, New Jersey on 2 June 2007. With an exception of an early and late pressure by Briggs in round one & twelve, rounds two to eleven were mostly controlled by Ibragimov, out-boxing his larger opponent with fast combinations.

On 13 October 2007, Sultan Ibragimov won his first title defense against the aging former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield by unanimous decision for the WBO heavyweight title at Khodynka Arena in Moscow, Russia.

Ibragimov fought Wladimir Klitschko on 23 February 2008 at Madison Square Garden. This fight was a unification bout laying the two fighters' IBF, IBO, and WBO titles on the line. This was the only title unification since 1999 when Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield fought.

Unification bout against Wladimir Klitschko

He was defeated by Wladimir Klitschko by way of a unanimous decision. Ibragimov had his moments, but for the most part was unable to get past Klitschko's long jab and occasional straight right hand, he struggled to land any significant punches on his larger opponent.

Retirement

In February 2009 there were rumors about Ibragimov's retirement from boxing following his loss to Wladimir Klitschko,

which were later confirmed in July 2009.

Ibragimov is of Avar Dagestani descent, and is Muslim by faith. His cousin, Timur Ibragimov, is also a former heavyweight professional boxer. However, while Sultan competed for Russia, Timur represented Uzbekistan.