http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/notebook?page=notebook/boxingdec20 Former heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman is well-known in the United Kingdom because of his historic 2001 knockout of England's Lennox Lewis to win the championship. Now, Rahman (45-6-2, 36 KOs) could be headed there to fight another British star, cruiserweight champion David Haye (20-1, 19 KOs), who is planning a move up to heavyweight. Haye stopped Jean-Marc Mormeck in the seventh round last month to win the title, but making weight has been difficult for him, so he is eyeing heavyweight and hopes to make a splash against a big-name opponent. The Haye camp initiated conversations about two weeks ago, Rahman manager Steve Nelson told ESPN.com. Promotional outfit Top Rank and Haye promoter Frank Maloney have been negotiating the fight for late March. Nelson is enthusiastic about the fight for Rahman, who, despite looking shaky at times, has won four in a row since losing a title to Oleg Maskaev in August 2006. "I saw Haye's fight with Mormeck. He's a tremendous puncher at cruiserweight," Nelson said. "His people have come to us about putting this together. They think we're done. I don't think we're done. I think Haye's taking on too much in one step to fight a big, strong heavyweight like Rock. It will be considered a strong win for Rock. We're very confident. I think Haye might be biting off more than he can chew. It's a big jump for him before he's built himself into a heavyweight. "It will be a pretty big fight in England. We feel confident that Rock can beat the smaller guy." Haye, 27, has won 10 in a row since his only loss, a fifth-round knockout to cruiserweight Carl Thompson in 2004. Nelson said Rahman, 35, would take a tune-up bout before the proposed match with Haye, possibly Feb. 7 on Versus.
Haye would destory him, as long as he kept away from Rahman's big shot, which is the only threat against Haye, but I'd fancy Haye to KO him by the 10th, or maybe an easy UD.
Good god - although Haye's chin is suspect, particularly at HW, it is nowhere near as bad as those glass whiskers Rahman sports. Haye by BRUTAL 5th round KO.
The only flaw in this analysys is the fact that there are NO quality heavyweights. Haye will bring quality to the division, ktfo Rachman, and clean up the fat Nigerian, all the pudgy Russians, and finally the glass jawed #1 guy.
I would pick Haye, but I wouldnt be too sure of my pick. Both fighters have power, and glass chins, I see Rahman maybe getting a flash knockdown in early, then getting knocked out by the middle rounds. I think this fight will be exciting as hell, and a possible coming out party for Haye.
I hope Haye doesn't become a bust. Hopefully, he dumps warren gets a great trainer and become the next Unified/undisputed HW champion of the world. I truly believe he has the skillset to do so, his chin is a worry but it didn't stop Wlad! GO HAYE!
Wlad has Manny, without him he would of lost to guys like Peter and maybe even Williamson. Without a trainer like Manny in Haye's corner, his glass chin will get shattered by a Heavyweight with above average power and chin.
Rahman is a KO waiting to happen, yet again. One could shot from Haye and that china chin shatters.:yep
And Rahman has been knocked down by cruiserweights...how many times? Weird fight. I still think Haye should work his way up, but he seems set on going for broke. So he could whack Rahman about (Haye certainly has HW power) or get thumped himself.