School me on Hasim Rahman...

The thing I give Rahman credit for is despite suffering some brutal knockouts, and that gross hematoma on his head in the Holyfield fight, is he never became gun shy against opponents.

 

He was definitely injured in the Chisora fight

 

I don't know what set he claimed, but I did hear that he used to be a street thug in Baltimore. He was also involved in a bad car accident prior to boxing which gave him that scar on his cheek

 

He was from Baltimore. If you've ever seen the series The Wire you'll understand. No idea of the gangs name. I doubt that's something he would mention.

 

He's quoted as saying his face was partially torn off and the scar was a result of the surgeon's efforts to make it whole again. Yeesh.

 

To me, Rahman was similar to the 80's heavies. A rise to the occasion type guy incapable of sustaining it. But on the night he rises to the occasion, watch out. So for every big fight he might win against a better pedigreed opponent, he'll lose 1 or more likely 2 to a lesser pedigreed fighter.

So he was a guy with some good tools but not a deep toolchest. And since he was hardly feared by the other fighters, he'd get his chances. And gets a lot more chances than the really dangerous guys because he was beatable. But he will win a few bouts here and there and the question becomes just who he does get the upsets against.

 

Kind of like a 90s Weaver I guess...except not as good imo.

 

In hindsight, it's probably a good thing that he lost to Tua and Maskaev. Had he hung on to win those fights, he probably would've been lined up against a more focused Lewis and never won the championship. Or he could have been sent at Ruiz or Holyfield for that belt and most likely lost.

 

Rahman was solid, but limited perennial contender with 2 brief periods as title holder.
Rahman came on the scene when he fought redhot prospect David Tua. Rahman surprise by out boxing Tua only to get hit by a big left by Tua after the bell. Rahman was given no additional time between rounds, as he should have, and he never recovered being stopped in the next round. Despite the loss Rahman was held in high regard, actually becoming more popular, only to be KOed, knocked all the way out of the ring against Oleg Maskaev, in one of boxing hi-lite reel KOs.

Rahman came back beating South Africa's Corrie Sanders in a seesaw battle, landing a shot at L. Lewis, whom he KOed with a out of no where right hand. Rahman was on top of the world, and he played the fool. Forced into a rematch with Lewis, Rahman was KOed in yet another hi-lite reel one punch KO.

Rahman then lost to Holyfield in a weird fight where suffered a huge hematoma on his forehead, once gain a hi-lite reel moment.

Rahman eventually got the WBC title when V. Klitchsko retired from injuries, which was fortunate as Vitaly would have likely beat him to death if they had ever fought.

In his first defense Rahman rematched "The Big O", Oleg Maskaev. Rahman, once again playing the fool, running his mouth non stop before the fight received a slow beat down by Maskaev, being stopped in the 12th round while grasping Oleg's ankle in a fetal position after being beat to the canvas.

Rahman continued to fight with mixed results, but he was on the down side of his career, losing in yet one more title fight to Wlad Klitchsko in a one sided affair.

Rahman had a very successful career, yet blew his biggest opportunity to be financially set for life when he turned down a HBO offer of $20 million for the Lewis rematch, with another $20 million in next fight after the Lewis rematch, win, lose or draw.

Like the old saying goes, "You just can't fix stupid".

 

I always thought of him like a modern day Sonny Liston. Long arms, very physically strong and a good jab and good power in either hand. Sonny was the crisper boxer and threw better combinations but physically they were quite similar. Rahman started late but he did get to world class in a relatively short period of time. Inconsistency and sometimes lack of focus were his biggest problems though.

 

I think you basically hit the nail on the head with that post.

 

Rahman was more of a street fighter. Lennox was more of a skilled boxer.

 

I wouldn't necessarily call him "stupid" for turning down 3rd and 4th lewis matches. The guy was way past his prime and had a rough career. Nothing wrong with a little dignity and wanting to preserve your health.

Let's see you get brutally KO'd by a vengeful Lennox Lewis and see how eager you are to get in the ring with him again.

 

Wild stuff happened his his fights!

A back and forth battle with Sanders

Getting knocked out of the ring by Maskeav

Taking out Lewis with one punch, and getting dusted in the re-match by one big punch.

Being hit after the bell by Tua late in a fight he was winning and probably would have won if not for the foul...he could not recover in his corner

The headbutt fight with Holyfield.

But what takes the cake for me is when Don King suitcase " closed " Rhaman to sign for cheap. King brought in a suitcase full of cash enticing Rhaman to sign.

Is Rhaman better than what we have today? Hard to say. He could box a bit and punch, but couldn't counter punch and had just a so-so chin