Rahman up against demons, and Toney
ATLANTIC CITY -- All James Toney has to do to win the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship tonight at Boardwalk Hall is beat Hasim Rahman. Rahman, on the other hand, has a far bigger task. He has to overcome himself.
Rahman has a history of throwing bombs with big right hands, such as the one that laid Lennox Lewis low in 2001, what seems like a century ago, and briefly made Rahman the WBC champion.
But Rahman also has a history of bombing out in his biggest moments. Rahman (41-5-1, 33 KOs) has the power to beat any heavyweight and more than enough talent and fitness, but he performed poorly against Evander Holyfield (2002) and David Tua (2003) in title elimination bouts that eliminated him from consideration. Rahman, 33, was dreadful in a loss to then-World Boxing Association champion John Ruiz (2003), whom he'd promised to knock out (Rahman made that impossible by his reluctance to move his hands from his ears after Ruiz hit him early with a solid right that resonated to his socks). And he looked unimpressive in a lackluster victory over Monte Barrett last August in what was supposed to be a tuneup for a title fight with then-WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.
Toney, 37, has alluded to these failings and the new champion acknowledges his own shortcomings, but after being handed the WBC title by virtue of Klitschko's retirement, Rahman contends he's a new man. Judging from his past, he better be.
''I accept what I've done," Rahman said. ''I take responsibility for whatever I've done. I know my history and I won't repeat my history and the negative things I've done. I really feel like I'm in the best shape that I can be in. We're going to be right, ripped, ready, and strong. I'm ready to fight."
Rahman looks the part. He's fit (he weighed in at a sculpted 238 pounds) and he has far more punching power than Toney (69-4-2, 43 KOs), a former middleweight champion who has literally turned into an inflated heavyweight (packing 237 pounds on his 5-foot-9-inch frame). Yet despite Toney's questionable physique and fitness, he is such an adept boxer that he is the betting favorite to win the heavyweight title for the second time. The fight is on HBO at 10 p.m.
In his first heavyweight title fight last April, Toney outboxed and outworked Ruiz, but had the WBA title stripped days later when he tested positive for steroids. Toney claimed there was some mistake. There was. He got caught.
But now he's back fully believing his slickness on the inside and his heart and defensive skills will baffle, bewilder, and ultimately break down Rahman.
Toney will look to counter over Rahman's right hand all night long. To survive that, Rahman needs his sometimes effective left jab to set up Toney for the right hands and to extract a harsh price from his challenger when he wants to get inside. But does Rahman have the resolve if he gets hit a few times, and if he has problems finding holes in the nearly impregnable defensive wall Toney makes with his arms, shoulders, and body movement?
''The improvement in Rock is in his attitude, his dedication, his motivation," trainer Thell Torrence said. ''I think people will see amazing things from Rock."
In the opinion of a lot of gamblers and knowledgeable boxing insiders, the first amazing thing would be if he finds the will and the way to defeat James Toney tonight.
Rahman vs. Toney
What: Scheduled 12-round WBC heavyweight title bout.
When: Tonight, approximately 11:30 p.m.
Where: Atlantic City, N.J.
TV: HBO (broadcast starts at 10 p.m.).
