http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzQSGPbB1bk The crowd so close, they're both so big, Rahman is uncoordinated and dis-organised but reasonably well trained, Sanders is reasonably coordinated and organised but he's totally knackered from the end of the second. The first knockdown which is as uncomfortable as any i've ever seen, the counter-knockdown which is just plain weird, the bit where they nearly knock each other down but Sanders goes down and then the insane finish. Sanders moustache. It's an underated heavyweight madness this.
Yeah, it's like an old cartoon. Love the way they both kind of protested their knockdowns, acting like they cool and the ref's crazy for calling the KD.
Man that fight was a long time ago but I remember rooting for Rahman because he was the American, damn sweet fight to bad there was no rematch.. I was never a fan of Sanders but the guy was exciting when he could bring it..
That was the Rhaman who went on to KO Lennox Lewis. Sanders did well early, but seemed to gas out. I remember there was one whizzing punched that just missed Rhaman. Had it landed, it would have produced a ten count. One thing that bothers me today is we just don't see heavyweight fights like this anymore.
They both fall heavy in the cathegory "could have been". Physically gifted, both under the chin and the power department, but severely lacking skills and ring generalship. Sanders in particular, he was absolutely reckless, very Mexican in his attitude in stopping punches with the face. A late starter, never had good trainers and never focusing on skills whatsoever. Kinda like a bigger Marciano.
Good fight, I wish the ref called it a knock down so that they could keep fighting, any more unusual bar burners from fringe conenders?
I wouldn't mind if an alt showed up with that name. Because it would be a real one-percenter around here. ...And we'd be in that one percent. :deal
Of course we don't see heavyweights liket his anymore. If Haye and Chisora looked anything like this we'd have a much higher opinion of klitschko but instead they look more like the 1940s war bond version of jack johnson vs sam langford charity boxing match and that is why klitschko is laughed at. Sanders whooped him silly and that version of rahman would have whiped either klitschko too. Even the fringe contenders and fringe champs of the 90s like mccall and these guys would annihilate the champs of the last 10 years. There is not a single fighter today who can beat this version of sanders. Bear in mind Sanders took this beating before even fighting wlad and he was already damaged goods by that point. Do you really think haye or mormick or leagay would have a chance against either of these two warriors? Of course not. These guys are real solid fighters, they may not win every fight but they aren't going to lose a fight by just running and hugging, they are going to lose a fight fighting. And the beauty of that is when you lose a fight fighting.... sometimes you win. Had you asked me in the first round who won i'd guess Sanders. In the 3rd round it changed. Why, because when you fight even a better opponent you can win, if you hurt them with a shot but you can't be scared to get hit with something big or you will never win. And this is the summary of klitscko last opponents since brewster=peters days, guys scared to attack.
Battle of the legend killers, and perhaps a clue as to why they both became legend killers. Sanders had more firepower on paper, but Ramhan was a bit more experienced, and made full use of a couple of mistakes from Sanders. You get the idea that we should have seen more from Sanders.
You watch a fight like that and you wonder who labelled Rahman a C+ fighter? This was an action packed war even if it was clipped to highlight the action. I thought he put his punches together pretty good to end the fight. Nice string of combinations.
