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Oleg Maskaev (33-5, 26 KOs) won the WBC world heavyweight championship with a twelfth round knockout of defending champion Hasim Rahman (41-6-2, 33 KOs) Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas. Rahman pressed the action early on and wobbled Maskaev early in round four, but Maskaev had some good connects later in the same round. Maskaev continued to land good shots in the fifth, but seemed bothered by referee Jay Nady's warning for holding. Round six was marked by Nady's almost continuous admonitions to Maskaev for holding. Maskaev seemed to be tiring in the eighth as Rahman starting landing his hard jab consistantly to set up his best round in the fight. Although the 37-year-old Maskaev seemed like he might be wilting after round nine, he came out throwing in the tenth, outworking "The Rock" for much of that round and also in the eleventh. Entering the final round, Maskaev was ahead on 106-103, 105-104 on two cards, while Rahman was up 106-103 on the third card. It was all academic, however, as Maskaev dropped Rahman with a right hand in the twelfth, then decked him again with a relentless barrage of punches to win by KO! Official time was 2:17. The bout was billed as "America's Last Line of Defense" and with the win, Maskaev completed a clean sweep of the major heavyweight titles by fighters born in the former Soviet Union, although Oleg is now a U.S. citizen.
Oleg Maskaev (33-5, 26 KOs) won the WBC world heavyweight championship with a twelfth round knockout of defending champion Hasim Rahman (41-6-2, 33 KOs) Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas. Rahman pressed the action early on and wobbled Maskaev early in round four, but Maskaev had some good connects later in the same round. Maskaev continued to land good shots in the fifth, but seemed bothered by referee Jay Nady's warning for holding. Round six was marked by Nady's almost continuous admonitions to Maskaev for holding. Maskaev seemed to be tiring in the eighth as Rahman starting landing his hard jab consistantly to set up his best round in the fight. Although the 37-year-old Maskaev seemed like he might be wilting after round nine, he came out throwing in the tenth, outworking "The Rock" for much of that round and also in the eleventh. Entering the final round, Maskaev was ahead on 106-103, 105-104 on two cards, while Rahman was up 106-103 on the third card. It was all academic, however, as Maskaev dropped Rahman with a right hand in the twelfth, then decked him again with a relentless barrage of punches to win by KO! Official time was 2:17. The bout was billed as "America's Last Line of Defense" and with the win, Maskaev completed a clean sweep of the major heavyweight titles by fighters born in the former Soviet Union, although Oleg is now a U.S. citizen.
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