Holyfield-Rahman Recap

By Don Deane

05.06 - Yeah so punctuality isn't my most prominent quality, but it shouldn't be too late to analyze the fight between Evander Holyfield and Hasim Rahman. Sticking with what I mentioned in a prior article, we probably get to see another WBA title appearance for Mr. Head butt. Thankfully, it should not be against John Ruiz. For Rahman, he is once again the Leon Spinks reincarnate. His career resembles the new Batman ride at Six Flags New England. Plenty of ups and downs for this guy, and recently, more downs than ups. Though the two paths crossed and now will branch off in different directions, a common downhill slope can be noticed between the two.

Holyfield deals with the inevitability of Father Time reducing even the largest icons into small dots. He knows that this is his last hurrah, he has to know that. He pretty much just has to wait out the Ruiz-Johnson fight and hope Kirk Johnson wins. I think Johnson should win, but one never knows. But what one does know is that nobody wants to see Ruiz-Holyfield 4. Even though Kirk Johnson is a Canadian John Ruiz, and he won't offer any more movement or skill than Ruiz does, it is just something different. That is basically Johnson's value in the heavyweight game. He is something different. Holyfield will probably earn a shot at the winner of that title fight, and win or lose that should be about it for him. Lewis and Tyson will probably call it quits soon after their much anticipated bout and that should spell the end for Holyfield as well. I do not really see the "Big Three" around much longer than another year.

Rahman has some career decisions to make. He can become an opponent and just get paid for losing to guys that want to build their resumes. Or he can rebound…again. The guy has talent, including a nice jab and, of course, that killer right hand. With the proper tutelage from Bouie Fisher, Rahman can develop that brash attitude and thunder he displayed in climbing the ranks and winning the world title. If he takes this defeat in stride and realizes that it was a bum rap based on a head butt he should be fine. If he takes it to heart and lets it disrupt his training, he is probably destined for retirement or perennial loser status. Rahman needs to get right back in the gym and work on readying himself for his next fight and also to take his mind off the Holyfield debacle.

I still think that these two fighters play prominently in the heavyweight future. It may just be the near future for Holyfield, and it make take some time for Rahman. After Lewis-Tyson and Klitschko-Mercer this month of big time heavyweight fights will end with the Ruiz-Johnson fight on the horizon. In about a 2 month span all 4 major heavyweight belts will be defended. This should shuffle the ratings, as well as shuffle certain fighters career plans. Who says summer is the quiet season in boxing