TWO-TIME world heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman is backing Lucas Browne to knock Ruslan Chageav out.
Browne travels to the Russian Republic of Chechnya to face the reigning WBA king on March 5.
And Rahman believes the hard-hitting Aussie has enough in his locker to score a victory similar to his own stunning stoppage of British great Lennox Lewis 15 years ago.
By Rob Smith: WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KO’s) easily took care of Hasim Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KO’s) earlier tonight in a 2nd round TKO win in Hamburg, Germany. It was impressive stuff from Povetkin in beating an over-matched and badly past his prime 39-year-old Rahman. The question that boxing fans now want to know is when if ever will the 33-year-old Povetkin step it up and take on IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko or his brother WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.
Povetkin said this after the fight as quoted by espn “When [my promoters] say it’s time to fight Klitschko, I will be ready. He’s the best heavyweight in the world and I will be ready to fight him.”
Wladiimr doesn’t think Povetkin wants the fight, saying to Sports Illustrated “Right. Where was he before? Please.”
By Dwight Chittenden: Nothing went right for 39-year-old Hasim Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KO’s) tonight in him losing to WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KO’s) by a 2nd round TKO at the Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany. Rahman waited four years for this title shot and when it came he looked weak, lethargic and incisive in getting demolished by the Russian Povetkin.
Later after the fight, Rahman blamed the defeat in part on being dehydrated, saying as quoted by ESPN “I was weak and dehydrated. I was in the hospital last night for fluids. I couldn’t move. He’s not a terribly big puncher but I couldn’t establish my jab. I was flat.”
Even if Rahman was on the level about this, it was on him for being dehydrated the night before the fight. What was he doing that dehydrated this close to a fight? It’s not as if Rahman was having to boil down to make weight or something. This is heavyweight and Rahman could come into the fight weighing a fat 300 pounds and the fight would have still taken place. If he was working out hard a day before the fight then he shouldn’t have been because that’s when you take it easy.
By Marcus Richardson: In a fight that should have never been allowed to happen, WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KO’s) destroyed 39-year-old former WBC heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KO’s) in the 2nd round at the on Saturday night at the Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Rahman just looked shot to pieces, like a fighter that didn’t belong in the same ring with Povetkin due to his faded skills. In the 2nd round, Povetkin staggered Rahman with a left hook to the head that caused Rahman to staggered back against the ropes. Povetkin then teed off on Rahman with combinations until the referee finally stopped the fight at 1:46 of the round.
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Unbeaten EBU heavyweight champion Kubrat Pulev (17-0, 9 KO’s) defeated the huge 6’7 1/2″ Alexander Ustinov (27-1, 21 KO’s) by an 11th round knockout in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator bout.
(Photo Wende) By Rob Smith: Former WBC heavyweight champion 39-year-old Hasim Rahman will get getting a shot at the title against WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin in their fight at the Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, in Hamburg, Germany. A lot of boxing fans thought that Rahman had retired years ago after getting stopped by Wladiimr Klitschko in 2008. Rahman looked old and shot even then, and one can only imagine how much he’s deteriorated since that fight. But Rahman has been piling up wins over little known 2nd tier opposition and has now won his last five fights, albeit against WEAK opposition.
It’s hard to say why the World Boxing Association decided to give Rahman a #1 ranking because he’s done little to deserve even a bottom #15 in my view. It just seems unreal that Rahman can get the top ranking from wins over the likes of Galen Brown (35-16), Marcus Magee (22-17), Damon Reed (46-13), Shannon Miller (16-4) and Clinton Boldridge (9-15-1). This doesn’t boxing fans any good if a guy is given an inflated ranking and then tossed into the ring with a champion, even a fighter that many boxing fans see as a paper champion like the 33-year-old Povetkin.
You can’t blame Rahman for taking the opportunity to fight Povetkin after he was made the #1 challenger by the WBA, but you can sure find blame with the WBA for ranking Rahman so highly in the first place.
The fight for the WBA World Heavyweight Championship is getting closer. On September 29, defending champion Alexander Povetkin (24-0, 16 KOs) and mandatory challenger Hasim Rahman (50-7-2, 41 KOs) will battle it out at the Sporthalle Hamburg, Germany. Since his last bout against Marco Huck, a lot has changed for team Povetkin. With ring legend Kostya Tszyu he has someone in his corner, who will help him to exploit his full potential. In the following interview Povetkin talks about his new training and his next opponent Hasim Rahman.
Alexander Povetkin, your last fight against Marco Huck was seven months ago. A lot has been said since then. Now that you had time to reflect, what are your thoughts on that topic?
Alexander Povetkin: It was a hard and tough battle, and both of us had to go to the limits of our capacity. However, in the end I beat Marco as I landed the more precise punches than him.
What lessons did you learn from this extremely close fight?
Alexander Povetkin: Of course, I learned a lot from that fight. My team and I know what we have to do to prepare myself in order to be better than last time. For example, we have worked a lot on my stamina during my current preparations.
Hasim Rahman (50-7-2, 41 KOs) wants to do it again. The man who already took on big names such as Lennox Lewis will face current WBA Champion Alexander Povetkin (24-0, 16 KOs) at the Sporthalle Hamburg, Germany, on September 29. And the American is not planning on just showing up. At the age of 39, Rahman is aiming to become the champion of the world once more. Right before the big showdown, the heavyweight took some time out of his preparations for a one-on-one interview.
Hasim Rahman, you will be stepping back into the ring on September 29. Your last fight was in June 2011 which ended in a victory over Galen Brown. Now you have had quite a long break.
Hasim Rahman: The Galen Brown fight was over a year ago and really was a tune up. About the only thing I can say is, that I will be in a lot better condition for the Povetkin fight than I was for Galen.
What are your thoughts on your next opponent Alexander Povetkin? Where do you see his strengths and which weaknesses are you planning to exploit when you meet him inside the ring?
Hasim Rahman: Povetkin is a very good fighter. He has proven to be a winner at every level. He was an Olympic gold medallist and is the current WBA Champion. I have respect for him as a boxer. Regardless of his strengths or weaknesses, I know what I have to do and that is to knock him out. I know that when I’m at my best, no one can take my power and I will knock him or anyone else out, period!