It was before Rahman fought Monte Barrett in Chicago for the "interim" WBC title (that Vitali Klitschko gave up due to injuries). On the Rahman-Barrett undercard, Golota was supposed to fight Saleta. But Golota got cut in sparring, so they brought in Oliver McCall as a late replacement. There was an open workout like on the Wednesday before the Saturday fight, which I attended. The boxing ring was set up in the United Center. Barrett worked out first. Then Rahman after him. When Rahman was finished, he sat ringside and took questions from reporters who were there. He was very c*cky and confident. He was joking with everyone. He looked in great shape. It seemed like it was "his" show. Oliver McCall then entered to begin his workout. McCall walked up behind Rahman while he was talking, and McCall had his "game face" on. Rahman turned and saw him and said hi. McCall didn't seem to say much and walked past and got in the ring, and Rahman turned to the reporters and made an animated "scared" face ... like he made big eyes and looked at everyone like "that guy is scary." (Joking with everyone, of course, but not.) McCall started shadow boxing and then got pissed that no one was paying attention. I can't recall if McCall or his trainer yelled, but one of them barked at the reporters that it was McCall's time. And Rahman jumped up and got out of there quick. Rahman was one of the great smack talkers in boxing. And he was having fun before McCall showed up. And you figure if an older undercard guy wanted to work out, and Rahman was the star of the show, Rahman wouldn't let the undercard guy give him any cr@p. But with McCall, Rahman was very respectful of him, made that kind of "scared" face (Kidding ... but not kidding) after trying to say hi to him, and as soon as Oliver got pissed, Rahman was GONE. Quick. That always stuck with me. Because those were the only two guys to beat Lennox Lewis. And McCall didn't give a sh*t if Rahman was having fun or talking to reporters or not. He was there to work, and he wanted Rahman out of there. And when Oliver got p*ssed, Rahman got the hell out quick. Didn't matter that Hasim was the star of the show or not. He left quick. I don't know if I'm explaining it well, but there was a mood in the arena that Rahman didn't want any problems with McCall, and everyone was kind of scared of McCall. Because he was not only hard, he was pretty crazy too. (And McCall destroyed Saleta, while Rahman-Barrett was kind of a stinker.)
None of the people you mentioned were world class fighters. You just named names like that means something. McCall was never anything special and most boxing fans only know him for struggling against a 250 year old Holmes and getting lucky against weak chin Lewis. Rahman wasn't anything special either. But people on Forums like this act like McCall is one of these guys who had Superman level durability. When in reality his style wasn't a really aggressive one and he didn't get hit flush that mean times. Lewis would of TKO him in their second fight if he didn't quit. Tyson beat the **** of him with head gear on. Logic would dictate that in the ring with no head gear Tyson would stop him. So would a young Foreman or even at a old Foreman who was in shape. Rahman does have a poor chin and could be stopped by I would pick Rahman by close decision.
Sorry. But I have to call COMPLETE BULLSH*T on that. McCall beat Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, Henry Akinwande, Bruce Seldon, Francesco Damiani, Fres Oquendo, Lance Whitaker and Oleg Maskaev. You can say those guys weren't WORLD CLASS, but they were. (Oleg wasn't yet, but would be later.) That's like saying Mike Weaver wasn't WORLD class. Who'd Weaver actually beat compared to all the names he lost to? That's like saying Max Schmeling is only known for beating Joe Louis and that Jack Sharkey, Johnny Risko and Paulino Uzcudan weren't WORLD CLASS. McCall wasn't any worse than Mike Weaver. Hell, take away Joe Louis and Lennox Lewis, and Oliver McCall may have beaten better heavyweights than Max Schmeling did.
I'm also picking Rahman. But McCall's resume is nothing close to a flash in the pan. There are very few heavyweights who have beaten as many former and future titlists as he has. Rahman's win over Sanders is better than McCall's second best win (narrowly) but after that McCall has the depth.
Theoretically, yes, McCall could be stopped. But, in practice, I saw Lennox Lewis tee off on a defenseless (by choice), mentally out of it McCall - and nothing happened.
I'd favour mccall slightly ud, rahman is so frustrating, he knocked out Lewis and sanders. Against wlad and ruiz he was s***
If Rahman was firing on all cylinders, I'd take him. Worse chin but better boxer with more power. Pretty close.
Yes, he shrugged off Lewis punches in their rematch. At first i thought it was fixed because Mccall never look hurt in any point of the fight, yet he quit and cried. However, soon I realized he was on a crack most of the time. He looks bizzare and crazy and post fight interview after beating Lewis but looks so calm and polite during TV interview, like a different person. For a guy who fought Lewis twice (once when he had a mental breakdown) and sparred for many rounds with prime Mike, its impressive that he never come close of getting knockdown.
McCall's significant advantage in durability and stamina would probably make the difference here. He takes him out late like he did to Akinwande.
Did you see the one fight on Youtube when Tyson sparred McCall? He beat the crap out of him, without headgear McCall would of been stopped. Holyfield fought Lewis 2 times in real fights and wasn't close to being knocked down or out. Yet Bowe was able to knock him down and knock him out. So McCall fighting Lewis 2 times and not being knocked out means nothing. The first time the fight only last 2 founds. The second fight Lewis was so afraid of being knocked out he wasn't that aggressive.
I remember when Lewis was landing full power punches on McCall's undefended face in that rematch, with McCall barely blinking, he kind of looked like he was looking round a supermarket with an annoying fly buzzing round his head. At one point in the fight Lewis looked petrified when Oliver bull dozed forward while these punches seemed to bounce off him, it was like something out of X Men. Even when he melted down in a ball of tears and offered his head as target practice Lewis couldn't KO the man. I'd pick him over Rachman that's for sure, I think he would outlast him and get the KO.