ESPN Boxing

There hasn't been a universally recognized heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis retired in early 2004, but titleholders Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov will get the ball rolling toward filling his shoes. They agreed Tuesday to a unification bout.

After more than a month of negotiating, they will meet Feb. 23 at New York's Madison Square Garden. HBO will televise the bout live.

The winner will emerge with two of the four major sanctioning organization title belts and have a leg up in the quest to be recognized as the true heavyweight champion over the other two beltholders, Ruslan Chagaev and the winner of the Feb. 2 Oleg Maskaev-Samuel Peter fight.

Klitschko, who won his IBF belt by crushing Chris Byrd in seven lopsided rounds on April 22, 2006, will be making his fourth defense.

In his first three defenses, Klitschko knocked out Calvin Brock, mandatory challenger Ray Austin and Lamon Brewster to avenge a previous defeat.

"I'm very happy that after intensive negotiations we have finally reached a deal," said Klitschko, who has been vocal about his desire for a unification fight after beating Byrd. "I'm really looking forward to this unification bout. This is what boxing fans around the world want to see. Ibragimov showed his class with his convincing victories over Shannon Briggs and Evander Holyfield. I'm sure this will be an exciting fight and Madison Square Garden is the perfect place for it."

Said Shelly Finkel, Klitschko's adviser, "At first Wladimir didn't believe it would happen. While the negotiations dragged on he was concerned, but when it got done he was ecstatic."

Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs) won the WBO version of the title by easily outpointing Briggs on June 2 and will be making his second defense. The 32-year-old Russian southpaw made his first defense Oct. 13, a dominating decision against former four-time champion Holyfield in Moscow.

"Before I became champion, my goal was to win the title and unify it," Ibragimov said. "But when I won the belt, I found no champion willing to fight me. I thank Klitschko for being a true champion and for fighting me. I know we will put on a great show for the fans in New York and around the world."

At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs), the 1996 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist for Ukraine, will have a significant size advantage against the quicker Ibragimov, who is 6-2, 220 pounds. Ibragimov received the Olympic heavyweight silver medal in 2000.

"In a division where champions have been known to shy away from dangerous challenges, credit must be given to Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov for stepping up and putting their belts on the line, not only for their own legacies, but for the good of boxing," said Leon Margules, executive director of Seminole Warriors Boxing, which co-promotes Ibragimov.

The fight will be the heavyweight division's first unification match since Lewis outpointed Holyfield in their 1999 rematch that crowed Lewis the undisputed champion.

Ibragimov was supposed to meet Chagaev in a unification bout on Oct. 13, but Chagaev withdrew because of illness and was replaced by Holyfield.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.