Hasim Rahman really fought Yesterday

[Parody]

He won the fight, I had it 115-113 for Rahman, I have always respected him but this time he earned more respect from me because no doubt he came to fight yesterday and he was fighting like a champ, he won the fight but the judges let it be a draw.

[Endurance]

I agree with you, absolutely correct what you are saying.
Rahman is a fighter, a worthy champion.

[mokele]

he sometimes clinches a bit

I agree with you, absolutely correct what you are saying.
Rahman is a fighter, a worthy champion.

After the Toney fight, Rahman was on ESPN's Friday night fights as guest commentator along with Brian Kenny. He was pleasant and modest. When he was asked why he fought Toney a lot on the inside he explained that he had been robbed by boxing on the outside before (in particular against David Tua) and didn't want to take a chance of it happening again. I felt that he didn't understand why he didn't win his 2nd fight with David Tua in spite of landing a ton of jabs and avoiding Tua's giant left hook for most of the fight. The problem was not that he was boxing on the outside, but that he was clinching too much on the inside, and some judges get a negative impression of a fighter if they fight that way, and for good reason in my opinion.

Anyway, he didn't do a lot of clinching against Toney and although he's not a great inside fighter by any means, had more energy than Toney and landed more grazing punches if not clean ones. Rahman showed me something against Toney. He showed that he's a real warrior and fighter at heart even if he has not always fought that way in the past.

Let's hope that Wladimir Klitschko follows a bit in Rahman's footsteps in the sense that he changes his style a little and trains to fight occasionally on the inside. He's never fought that way yet, but his career isn't over.

[Endurance]

Let's hope that Wladimir Klitschko follows a bit in Rahman's footsteps in the sense that he changes his style a little and trains to fight occasionally on the inside. He's never fought that way yet, but his career isn't over.

I don't think this is going to happen. Klitschko plays it save, as save as possible.

[Talking Turkey]

[QUOTE=mokele] When he was asked why he fought Toney a lot on the inside he explained that he had been robbed by boxing on the outside before (in particular against David Tua) and didn't want to take a chance of it happening again. I felt that he didn't understand why he didn't win his 2nd fight with David Tua in spite of landing a ton of jabs and avoiding Tua's giant left hook for most of the fight. The problem was not that he was boxing on the outside, but that he was clinching too much on the inside, and some judges get a negative impression of a fighter if they fight that way, and for good reason in my opinion.

QUOTE]
I agree with that, that makes a lot of sense, but sometimes people don't realise that, so many judges see fights in dfferent ways.

[SnoopySmurf]

Rahman couldn't beat the overweight, exhausted middleweight who was smaller and weaker than him. Niether fighters deserved to win that night. You can be busy but not as affective or be more reserved and more accurate.

This fight reminds me of Hopkins/Taylor I. Taylor was busier but less accurate while Hop was less busy but more accurate.

[Endurance]

Rahman couldn't beat the overweight, exhausted middleweight who was smaller and weaker than him.

That was no middleweight in there.
Rahman deserves credit. So many fans and experts expected him to get beaten, even stopped. Look what happened.

[SnoopySmurf]

That was no middleweight in there.
Rahman deserves credit. So many fans and experts expected him to get beaten, even stopped. Look what happened.

No, he was an overweight middleweight masquerading as a heavyweight. Rahman, by physical strength and determined experience, should have beaten Toney to the punch. He didn't use his physical attributes at all. His trainers were right on about not engaging at the ropes, he won several rounds by fighting from a distance but he was so gun shy, the fight was his to lose (meaning he should have won the fight). But he would still fall into Toney's fighting style.

Tack it to Rahman's lack of ameteur experience, perhaps...but he should have beaten Toney on Toney's worst night as a heavyweight. Remember, this was supposedly the best shape Rahman had ever been in as a fighter.

[mokele]

that's why I can't root for him

I don't think this is going to happen. Klitschko plays it safe, as safe as possible.

Yep, like the chess player Wladimir Klitschko is, he knows the ins and outs and percentages associated with styles and strategies of fighting. If you're tall and well-conditioned with a good amateur background in which points are scored from the outside primarily with jabs, hooks and straight right hands, that's the way you will fight in the pros. Why fight at all on the inside if you don't need to? If a referee doesn't warn you for holding, then hold whenever it suits your style and strategy. That's what Wladdy already knows I can assure you, and Emanuel Steward has made things worse with regard to his tendency to hold on the inside.

Fans like me want fighters to show heart and courage, to at least demonstrate the ability to stand toe to toe occasionally, to demonstrate an ability to overcome adversity and to make comebacks. Unfortunately, those qualities are mostly lacking in Wladdy in spite of his size, strength, intelligence and technical skills.