Ike Ibeabuchi Returns to the Ring After 25 Years

51-year-old Nigerian heavyweight boxer Ike Ibeabuchi (20-0, 15 KOs) is set to make his first professional appearance in 25 years. The 6-round bout is scheduled for December 7 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, against Egypt's Ayman Farouk Abbas (4-10-1, 1 KO).

Once considered a future champion, Ibeabuchi was a heavyweight contender in the 1990s. However, he spent much of the following years incarcerated—imprisoned in Las Vegas in 1999, serving 16 years for sexual assault.

Ibeabuchi had previously announced intentions to return to the ring, but in 2016, he was re-incarcerated in Arizona for violating parole conditions and due to a 2003 warrant he claimed to be unaware of.

His last fight was on March 20, 1999, against Chris Byrd, where he secured a technical knockout victory in the 5th round.