10.08.05 – By Malik Lee: The WBC’s version of the contender presented by Don King will air on August 13 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett will climb into the ropes to face off against Hasim “The Rock” Rahman with the winners next fight against WBC Heavyweight championship belt holder Vitali Kiltschko possibly September 24 somewhere in the United States.
The tale of the tape for Monte Barrett (31-3-0, 17 KO’s) vs. Hasim Rahman (40-5-1, 33 KO’s) bout scheduled for 12 rounds reads as follows: American fighter Monte Barrett, hometown Queens, New York, 34-years-old, standing 6′ 3″ with a reach of 78′ scrapping from an Orthodox stance. American fighter Hasim Rahman, hometown Baltimore, Maryland, 32 years-old, standing 6′ 2″ with a reach of 82″ and scrapping from an Orthodox stance.
This fight between the WBC’s top two contenders is by no means a main event on a pay per view card doesn’t make cents to anyone but boxing promoters. Once again fight fans get to see first hand what’s wrong with boxing and the ranking system. So does this mean the winner of the fight will get a belt to rise above their head?
The WBC’s reasoning for the interim belt is Kiltschko’s constant injuries might continue to keep him out of the ring. However, Klitschko is healthy now wanting a tune-up then to take on the WBC’s #1 contender yet the WBC says stay inactive till later this year and if he is unable to fight the winner of this fight will be the true WBC champion by default.
Barrett comes into the ring winning his last two fights handing both fighters their first loses of their careers in both of their 25th fights. In February he put down Owen Beck (TKO 9) in a fight labeled WBC & IBF title eliminator. Barrett had a 11 month layoff after he beat Dominick Guinn (SD 10) in March 2004.
Rahman most recent ring appearance was November of last year when he laid out Kali Meehan (TKO 4). He fought five times in 2004 ending his three previous fights all in the second round by beating journeymen Terrence Lewis 32-15-1, 22 KO’s who himself has lost six of his last eight fights one to Andrew Golota. Before that Rahman beat Rob Calloway the previous month, the month before he beat Mario Cawley. Cawley who’s currant record is 22-13-0 having lost 13 of his last 14 fights 11 by KO winning the one when the other boxer was disqualified.
Barrett losing to Joe Mesi (MD 10) in December 2003 after coming off five straight wins during a period which he did not fight in 2002 at and one of his wins by knocking out Cawley (KO 9). Barrett also lost to Wladimir Klitschko (TKO 7) in July of 2000, he was undefeated for his first 21 professional fights before Lance Whitaker (SD 10) stopped him.
Rahman lost to John Ruiz in December of 2003 after coming off a draw with David Tua seven months earlier. He had not been in the ring since being beat up by Evander Holyfield in June of 2002.
As a previous belt holder, Barrett won the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight against Phil Jackson (UD 12) in April of 1999. He lost his first title defense to Whitaker.
Rahman was king of the heavyweight division for six months when he beat Lennox Lewis (KO 5) to take the WBC, IBF, IBO belts only to give them back in his first title defense when Lewis returned the favor knocking him out (KO 4). Never defending but winning Rahman captured the vacant Maryland State Heavyweight title from Marion Wilson (UD 10) and WBU belt from Corrie Sanders (TKO 7) both in 2000. He won his first belt the vacant USBA heavyweight title July of 1997 by knocking out Jeff Wooden (KO 9) defending the belt three times losing his fourth defense to Tua (TKO 10) in December of 1998.
Barrett started his boxing career for money in 1996 smashing around Jamal Edwards (TKO 1). Rahman started his pro career in 1994 by knocking out Gregory Herrington (KO 1).
Barrett weighed in at 213 pounds for his first fight weighing 218 pounds in his last appearance in the ring, while Rahman weighing in at 234 pounds for his first fight weighing in at 232 pounds in his last appearance in the ring.