PREFIGHT
A pretty decent crowd is in attendance tonight...much larger than anticipated. It looks Sultan Ibragimov is the latest addition to the growing number of fighters who endorse Affliction as he's rockin' one of their shirts. WBO heavyweight campion Sultan Ibragimov comes out first to the sounds of Rick Ross..."Everyday I'm hustlin...everyday I'm hustlin...everyday I'm hustlin." He looks confident. A slow walk to the ring with a smirk on his face as though he knows something that we don't know. IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko comes out next to a loud chorus of cheers. He looks serious...intense...ready for business. Michael Buffer informs the crowd that this is the first heavyweight title unification of the 21st century. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeee...." Chants of "Klitsckho! Klitschko! Klitschko!" before the fight even starts.
ROUND 1
Klitschko comes out fast trying to measure his distance. He swats Ibragimov's hand down hard ...not even jabbing, but just slapping Ibragimov's hand down. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov just touching him with his right hand...keeping his distance. Klitschko continues to just knock Ibragimov's hand down. Ibragimov bulls forward and they clinch. Klitschko lands a jab. Ibragiomv lands a hard left to the body. Klitsckho lands a jab and Ibragiomv lands that left to the body again. Jab lands for Klitschko. Both men very cautious. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a jab to the body. Tough round to score...not much action from either man. I give it to Klitschko just for pressing the action.
Klitschko 10 Ibragimov 9
ROUND 2
Klitschko comes out behind the jab. Ibragimov misses with a looping right hook. Klitschko continues to stalk and slap Ibragimov's hand down. Ibragimov lands a left to the body. Klitschko snaps his head back with a jab. Ibragimov just misses with a 1-2. Klitschko lands a HARD left jab. Another jab lands for Ibragimov and he doesn't like it. Jab lands for Klitschko...and another. Ibragimov lands a body shot and Klitschko just pushes him off. Jab lands for Klitschko. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 20 Ibragimov 18
ROUND 3
Hard jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a left to the body. Klitschko lands his jab again. Ibragimov stays on the outside as Klitschko stalks him. Jab lands for Klitschko. Right hand to the body lands for Ibragimov. Klitschko lands a couple more jabs. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Boooooooo....come on boys...let's fight! Jab lands for Klitschko...and another. HARD jab lands for Klitschko. Body shot lands for Ibragimov, who's already looking tired. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 30 Ibragimov 27
ROUND 4
Klitschko continues to slap his hand down. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a chopping right hand as he gets brave and rushes in. Klitschko continues to stalk behind the jab. HARD jab lands for Klitschko. 1-2 from Ibragimov is blocked. HARD jab lands for Klitschko. Another hard jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a looping left hand upstairs. STIFF jab from Klitschko snaps Ibragimov's head back. Ibragimov lands a hard left to the body. Another jab lands for Klitschko, who's not even throwing his right hand. Some slight boos from the crowd. Klitschko lands a short left hook to end the round. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 40 Ibragimov 36
ROUND 5
Klitschko rushes out of his corner to get the round started. Jab lands for Klitschko. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. More boos from the crowd. Jab lands for Klitschko. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Jab and a right hand lands for Klitschko and the crowd cheers. Jab lands for Klitschko. Sloppy right hand from Ibragimov lands to the back of Klitschko's head. HARD jab lands for Klitschko. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. More boos from the crowd. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 50 Ibragimov 45
ROUND 6
Jab lands for Klitschko to start the round. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Another left hand lands for Ibragimov. Jab lands for Klitschko. Another. More boos from the crowd. Ibragimov just misses with a looping right. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a right to the body. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a right hand over the top. Another right hand over the top lands for Ibragimov. Two jabs and a right land for Klitschko to end the round. Round to Ibragimov, his best so far as it appeared as though Klitschko took a bit of a break.
Klitschko 59 Ibragimov 55
ROUND 7
A flurry from Ibragimov to start the round as he lands a 1-2 in frustration. Klitschko lands a check left hook a la Mayweather against Hatton. HARD right hand lands for Klitschko and it freezes Ibragimov in his tracks. Two stiff jabs land for Klitschko. Right hand lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov looks a little concerned in there...like he's feeling trapped. A couple more jabs land for Klitschko. Another. Ibragimov lands a looping right hand. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 69 Ibragimov 64
ROUND 8
A few more jabs land for Klitscko to start the round. Short right hand lands for Klitschko along the ropes and they clinch. BIG 1-2 lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov rushes in and gets pushed down by Klitschko. No knockdown. Another straight right lands down the pipe for Klitschko and Ibragimov doesn't like it. Ibragimov thuds a right to the body. Now he lands a left to the body. HARD 1-2 lands for Klitschko...and another. The crowd cheers. Two HARD right hooks land for Ibragimov. Klitschko takes them. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 79 Ibragimov 73
ROUND 9
Ibragmov misses with a wild overhand left. Klitschko lands a left hook. BIG right hand lands for Klitschko...another and the ropes keep Ibragimov up. Should have been a knockdown. He holds on. The crowd chants "Klitschko, Klitschko, Klitschko!" Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. HARD jab from Klitschko snaps Ibragimov's head back. Right hand down the pipe lands for Klitschko. Stiff jab lands for Klitschko. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 89 Ibragimov 82
ROUND 10
STIFF jab lands for Klitschko. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Ibragimov rushes in and slams Klitschko to the canvas. Nice takedown...that could win him the round if this were an MMA match. The action resumes. Klitschko continues to slap Ibragimov's right hand down. Klitschko rushes in...they clinch...some more roughhousing. Jab lands for Klitschko. 1-2 lands for Ibragimov. HARD right hand down the pipe lands for Klitschko. Quick left hook lands for Klitschko. HARD left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 99 Ibragimov 91
ROUND 11
Two right hands land to the body for Ibragimov. WOOOOOO...hard right hand lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov on the retreat. Klitschko continues to stalk behind the jab. They clinch. Jab lands for Klitschko...another. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Jab lands for Klitscko again. More boos from the crowd. WOOOO....two hard right hands from Klitsckho right at the end of the round. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 109 Ibragimov 100
ROUND 12
Manny Steward informs Klitschko that he's got to knock Ibragimov out or "it's gonna be bad". Klitschko lands a stiff jab to start the round. Another jab lands for Klitschko. Another. Right hand lands for Klitschko. Left to the body lands for Ibragimov. Klitschko misses with a 1-2. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov circling and retreating. 1-2 lands for Klitschko. They clinch. Jab lands for Klitschko. Ibragimov lands a short right hand. Right hand down the pipe lands for Klitschko to end the round. Round to Klitschko.
Klitschko 119 Ibragimov 109
Harold Lederman scored it 118-110 for Klitschko
Official judges scorecards...
Don Ackerman: 119-110
Chuck Giampa: 117-111
Steve Weisfeld: 118-110
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND UNIFIEDIBF, WBO & IBO CHAMPION...WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
COMPUBOX
Klitschko total punches: 148/348
Ibragimov total punches: 97/316
Klitschko total jabs: 108/245
Ibragimov total jabs: 16/137
POSTFIGHT
Somes boos from the crowd during Klitschko's post-fight interview. Klitschko thanks the crowd. He says he thought he'd be able to get the knockout. "If I would miss it, I would lose my balance," stated Klitschko as he explained why he didn't throw very many right hands. "I'll see how the cookie crumbles," he continued as Max Kellerman questioned him about the possibility of having no unified champion if his brother defeats the winner of the upcoming WBC clash between champion Oleg Maskaev and challenger Samuel Peter.
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