By James Slater: Former two-time heavyweight ruler Hasim Rahman insists he is still in the game because he wants to “make history.” Speaking with Fightnews.com, “Rock” said he feels he will possibly get a title shot in 2011, and that a win will make him a three-time champ. Looking to keep busy in the meantime, the 38-year-old boxes journeyman Galen Brown tonight in South Haven, Mississippi.
Quite shockingly, and again according to Fightnews, who covered the weigh-in for tonight’s scheduled ten-rounder, Rahman tipped-in at a career-heavy 284-pounds! At first glance, I thought the invaluable news site had made a typo; maybe they have! But if Rahman has indeed trained so lazily that he has come in so heavy, his chances of “making history” look, to pardon the pun, slim.
Brown, no svelte figure himself, tipped-in at 253, a relatively average weight for him. It’s hard to guess what kind of a fight we will get tonight. Rahman, even at 284, will be able to punch; but for how long? Brown, a good deal younger at age 29, has been halted 11 times and he can be taken out quite quickly. With the excess poundage he is carrying, “Rock” had better hope his right hand gets the job done sooner rather than later.
Rahman told Fightnews that he plans to fight again as soon as one month on from tonight’s bout. Unable, he says, to walk away because he has a chance to achieve the distinction of being a three-time champion, the 49-7-2(40) operator cannot afford any slip ups against Brown; a late change of opponent for Willie Herring. Winner of his last four, all by KO, the man who made his name by upsetting Lennox Lewis all those years ago might well make that number five tonight.
Both men weighed-in whilst wearing a T-shirt, and in light of their physical condition it’s easy to see why. Let’s hope tonight’s fight does not lumber on into the later rounds. With a combined weight of 537-pounds in the ring, the canvas might not be able to take the strain any more than the fans will be able to take the lack of action!