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Rahman- the True Story.
My take on the Rahman fight. Read it or don't, wanted to share:
Two images were shown repeatedly before the Rahman-Maskaev main event Saturday night. One was a tall, proud Hasim Rahman with his arms crossed over his meaty chest, a translucent American flag rippling in the wind behind him. The viewer would be informed that the towering man before that flag was America's last line of defense- that every other heavyweight belt had been wrestled out of the hands of Americans- and that Rahman was our last warrior.
Secondly, the image of Oleg's one massive right was shown connecting against Hasim seven years prior, and his flight from the ring into Jim Lampley's lap. He was shown dazed, all six feet and two inches of his hulking frame, while a broad shouldered, pale Russian celebrated his stunning victory in the ring above him.
When the bell rang and the twelve round battle between Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev was happening for the second time, several things became quickly apparent. Anyone watching the two men in the ring, who had just seen the highlight reel of Rahman being devastatingly knocked unconscious, could notice them instantly.
The first fact was picked up on quickly by the HBO commentating team. Say what you will about them, not every observation they make is faulty. What they noticed was that Hasim Rahman was scared. Yes, America's last line of defense, the man who was a betting favorite to not just beat Oleg- but score a revenge KO, was timid. You could see fear in the jittery way he loaded up his shots, the one punch at a time mentality, the lack of combinations, his even more akward than usual footwork. Hasim Rahman did not want to kiss the floor outside the ring again. He was hoping to cruise to a unanimous desicion- not settle the score.
The second was that Oleg Maskaev was not the same fighter we had seen throw his fists into Rahman in the clips of his knockout. His hair was thinning, his body was beginning to show his age, and he was slower. Much, much slower. Oleg Maskaev was thirty seven and showing it. He had come to fight, but his age was not making the battle any easier for him. We would learn after the fight that the older man, the square jawed Russian, had hurt his back as aging fighters often do, during training camp. Yet he had come to fight. Come to beat a man he had already beaten to take the WBC Heavyweight title.
The best way to summarize what occured over the twelve rounds they fought is that Rahman did not look as hungry down the stretch. Hasim's fear made him throw one shot at a time, so even when he seemed to have Oleg hurt, tipping from side to side, he never followed up enough to put him down. Maskaev was the older man, but he had the better chin. Rahman's style of one loaded shot at a time, often trying to land a ridiculously telegraphed right, was not going to put Oleg down.
Rahman threw an abominable number of combinations if he did at all. It was one connect at a time, backing off, and trying to do it again. The mentality of someone trying to do enough work to make the judges happy enough to throw him the round. Not someone with fire, or passion, or even anger enough to get his man out of there. It became apparent over the progression of the fight that Rahman was not going to win by KO. When Maskaev was hurt, Rahman forgot about a friend named 'Follow through' and let Oleg get his bearings again. Hasim's akward gait, his telegraphed shots and lack of confidence made him look- to be blunt- quite amateurish.
Then there was the fading down the stretch. Oleg's hands dropped around the 8th. His chest was heaving, trying to get himself air, and you could see it was hard for the man to even keep moving around the ring, yet alone throw punches. Rahman, a bit fresher but not quite energetic, did nothing. He did not jump on Oleg, or pressure the fading fighter, he let him recover. Hasim had a tired, older man in front of him who was ready to slump over out of exhaustion, claiming it was due to his injured back after the fight, and Hasim- America's last line of defense- continued to plod along. Like he did against James Toney. Like he was criticized with doing in his unanimous desicion to Monte Barret. Like his entire career before the one lucky punch against Lennox Lewis that made him a name. Hasim Rahman had the ability, the opportunity, but not the mentality. He was a slow, careful fighter too scarred by his knockout losses to risk opening himself up by going after the man.
So, after the 11th round, the fight was now even on HBO's scorecard. One round. Three minutes of action and Hasim could erase his reputation as a boring, slow fighter. Erase the memory of him doing nothing against an overweight James Toney. Three minutes and the belt stayed with America. Unfortunatley, Oleg's trainer looked him in his eyes and told him, "Do it for your motherland. Do it for your daughters." You could see the hunger awaken. The need to please not only his country, but his little girls. Oleg Maskaev wanted to do what it took to win.
What was that? Just hitting Rahman. Opening up, applying a bit of pressure, backing him up against the ropes and ending the night. As soon as Maskaev found the energy to let his hands go, and bombs were exploding on Rahman, you could see the terror in Hasim's eyes. His only thought- the only thought in his mind- was to stop himself from falling out of the ring again. With his back against the ropes, and his legs turning to jelly, he became to frantically try and hold Oleg, to stop the assault. Rahman even grabbed for Nady, the referee, trying to hold on to any body before him to stop it. It did stop. It stopped after he had almost fallen out of the ring a second time, and after his head had been sent back again and again as Oleg decided to do just what Hasim could never do. Finish it. Take the belt- not have it handed to him.
So what now? Hasim Rahman, America's last line of defense, has fallen. Well, I would like to propose a new scenario. It was brought about after the fight that Oleg Maskeav was an American Citizen. Having lived in Staten Island for over 13 years, over a decade, all his daughters had been born in this country. He speaks English with the tact of someone who, while not being born here, uses it everyday. He left the struggles of his country and came to America a long time ago to fight for a better life for himself and his family. He became a citizen, fought his way through the ranks of American boxers, and became lucky enough to be offered a shot at the WBC Heavyweight crown- and he took it.
Maybe Oleg Maskaev should be the one before the streaming American flag now. Isn't that what America is all about? Not just someone born in this country, America, the dream, is a country of freedom where others can come, become citizens, and work as hard as everyone else to achieve their dreams. Maybe Oleg Maskaev, while not the most amazing fighter, should be coined "the New American Heavyweight". He proved he has the heart that, should he call himself American, any man should be proud to agree.
Two images were shown repeatedly before the Rahman-Maskaev main event Saturday night. One was a tall, proud Hasim Rahman with his arms crossed over his meaty chest, a translucent American flag rippling in the wind behind him. The viewer would be informed that the towering man before that flag was America's last line of defense- that every other heavyweight belt had been wrestled out of the hands of Americans- and that Rahman was our last warrior.
Secondly, the image of Oleg's one massive right was shown connecting against Hasim seven years prior, and his flight from the ring into Jim Lampley's lap. He was shown dazed, all six feet and two inches of his hulking frame, while a broad shouldered, pale Russian celebrated his stunning victory in the ring above him.
When the bell rang and the twelve round battle between Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev was happening for the second time, several things became quickly apparent. Anyone watching the two men in the ring, who had just seen the highlight reel of Rahman being devastatingly knocked unconscious, could notice them instantly.
The first fact was picked up on quickly by the HBO commentating team. Say what you will about them, not every observation they make is faulty. What they noticed was that Hasim Rahman was scared. Yes, America's last line of defense, the man who was a betting favorite to not just beat Oleg- but score a revenge KO, was timid. You could see fear in the jittery way he loaded up his shots, the one punch at a time mentality, the lack of combinations, his even more akward than usual footwork. Hasim Rahman did not want to kiss the floor outside the ring again. He was hoping to cruise to a unanimous desicion- not settle the score.
The second was that Oleg Maskaev was not the same fighter we had seen throw his fists into Rahman in the clips of his knockout. His hair was thinning, his body was beginning to show his age, and he was slower. Much, much slower. Oleg Maskaev was thirty seven and showing it. He had come to fight, but his age was not making the battle any easier for him. We would learn after the fight that the older man, the square jawed Russian, had hurt his back as aging fighters often do, during training camp. Yet he had come to fight. Come to beat a man he had already beaten to take the WBC Heavyweight title.
The best way to summarize what occured over the twelve rounds they fought is that Rahman did not look as hungry down the stretch. Hasim's fear made him throw one shot at a time, so even when he seemed to have Oleg hurt, tipping from side to side, he never followed up enough to put him down. Maskaev was the older man, but he had the better chin. Rahman's style of one loaded shot at a time, often trying to land a ridiculously telegraphed right, was not going to put Oleg down.
Rahman threw an abominable number of combinations if he did at all. It was one connect at a time, backing off, and trying to do it again. The mentality of someone trying to do enough work to make the judges happy enough to throw him the round. Not someone with fire, or passion, or even anger enough to get his man out of there. It became apparent over the progression of the fight that Rahman was not going to win by KO. When Maskaev was hurt, Rahman forgot about a friend named 'Follow through' and let Oleg get his bearings again. Hasim's akward gait, his telegraphed shots and lack of confidence made him look- to be blunt- quite amateurish.
Then there was the fading down the stretch. Oleg's hands dropped around the 8th. His chest was heaving, trying to get himself air, and you could see it was hard for the man to even keep moving around the ring, yet alone throw punches. Rahman, a bit fresher but not quite energetic, did nothing. He did not jump on Oleg, or pressure the fading fighter, he let him recover. Hasim had a tired, older man in front of him who was ready to slump over out of exhaustion, claiming it was due to his injured back after the fight, and Hasim- America's last line of defense- continued to plod along. Like he did against James Toney. Like he was criticized with doing in his unanimous desicion to Monte Barret. Like his entire career before the one lucky punch against Lennox Lewis that made him a name. Hasim Rahman had the ability, the opportunity, but not the mentality. He was a slow, careful fighter too scarred by his knockout losses to risk opening himself up by going after the man.
So, after the 11th round, the fight was now even on HBO's scorecard. One round. Three minutes of action and Hasim could erase his reputation as a boring, slow fighter. Erase the memory of him doing nothing against an overweight James Toney. Three minutes and the belt stayed with America. Unfortunatley, Oleg's trainer looked him in his eyes and told him, "Do it for your motherland. Do it for your daughters." You could see the hunger awaken. The need to please not only his country, but his little girls. Oleg Maskaev wanted to do what it took to win.
What was that? Just hitting Rahman. Opening up, applying a bit of pressure, backing him up against the ropes and ending the night. As soon as Maskaev found the energy to let his hands go, and bombs were exploding on Rahman, you could see the terror in Hasim's eyes. His only thought- the only thought in his mind- was to stop himself from falling out of the ring again. With his back against the ropes, and his legs turning to jelly, he became to frantically try and hold Oleg, to stop the assault. Rahman even grabbed for Nady, the referee, trying to hold on to any body before him to stop it. It did stop. It stopped after he had almost fallen out of the ring a second time, and after his head had been sent back again and again as Oleg decided to do just what Hasim could never do. Finish it. Take the belt- not have it handed to him.
So what now? Hasim Rahman, America's last line of defense, has fallen. Well, I would like to propose a new scenario. It was brought about after the fight that Oleg Maskeav was an American Citizen. Having lived in Staten Island for over 13 years, over a decade, all his daughters had been born in this country. He speaks English with the tact of someone who, while not being born here, uses it everyday. He left the struggles of his country and came to America a long time ago to fight for a better life for himself and his family. He became a citizen, fought his way through the ranks of American boxers, and became lucky enough to be offered a shot at the WBC Heavyweight crown- and he took it.
Maybe Oleg Maskaev should be the one before the streaming American flag now. Isn't that what America is all about? Not just someone born in this country, America, the dream, is a country of freedom where others can come, become citizens, and work as hard as everyone else to achieve their dreams. Maybe Oleg Maskaev, while not the most amazing fighter, should be coined "the New American Heavyweight". He proved he has the heart that, should he call himself American, any man should be proud to agree.
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