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03/19/2006 Archived Entry: "Rahman Keeps Belt with a Hard Fought Draw!"
Rahman Keeps Belt with a Hard Fought Draw
Toney and Rahman prove they are both "Superfighters."
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
March 18, 2006
After twelve grueling rounds against title challenger James Toney, Hasim Rahman left the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall boxing ring still the World Boxing Council's heavyweight champion.
As the "appointed" champ, upon Vitali Klitschko's sudden retirement last year, Rahman actually did not win his new title in the ring, his WBC world championship belt was not earned in battle. Hasim "The Rock" Rahman EARNED the right to be called champion after battling James Toney to a hard fought draw in defense of his crown tonight.
Coming into the fight at a solid and fit 238 lbs. Rahman fought hard throughout the entire twelve rounds. It was actually "The Rock's" stated newly found desire, dedication and conditioning which carried the fight for the champ. Against the slickest, craftiest and by far the most gifted boxer he has ever faced in James Toney, Rahman never stopped coming forward and never stopped throwing punches. Out-punching the more selective and accurate Toney by a whopping 300 thrown punches (933-633), it was the out-working and out-hustling of James Toney which was seen most by the crowd, the HBO televised viewing audience and most importantly the Judges.
Actually Rahman could have fought a "smarter" by keeping his distance and using his advantage of a superior, and nasty, jab; instead of his fighting close, which allowed the master counter-puncher Toney to blast away with many power punches, cutting Hasim's lip and bruising his left eye in the process.
Toney also displayed his badge of courage (swelling around the left eye) at the post-fight press conference.
While Judge John Stewart apparently appreciated Hasim's work ethic, with his resounding 117-111 score for Rahman, both Nobuaki Uratani and the well respected Tom Kaczmarek had it even at 114-114; declaring this more exciting than expected championship fight a draw and giving Rahman the deserved and well earned opportunity to defend his title against the WBC mandatory # 1 challenger Oleg Maskaev. Even though the right to challenge for Rahman's title has been established by Maskaev, the boxing public really wants to see Rahman-Toney II.
James Toney, a bona-fide hall of fame fighter, is nothing short of remarkable. A world champion from middleweight all the way to, or as close as a fighter can get to winning the heavyweight title; with his dominant thought-to-be win over then WBA champ John Ruiz subsequently overturned to a no decision (due to Toney's well documented post-fight positive steroid test result), as well this Rahman draw. Toney did nothing but enhance himself with his gutsy and valiant performance tonight.
With tonight's sponsor of the fight being Superfighter (www.super fighter.tv), launching the initial notice of their July mega-event which will feature eight of the world's top heavyweight fighters to battle in elimination matches to determine the true heavyweight super fighter, both James Toney and Hasim Rahman proved the are both "Superfighter".
On "The Big Boys are Back" undercard:
Vincent Arroyo, fighting out of Buffalo, NY, stopped the very game and stubborn Adam Czacher, now 2-3, at 1:55 of round four in a hard fought welterweight bout which opened the show. Arroyo remained undefeated, improving to 4-0, with Czacher being his third KO victim.
Heavyweight "The Tiger" Thompson controlled Philadelphia's Maurice Wheeler, who fell to 10-5-1, before finally hurting Wheeler with a crunching body shot which rendered his foe unable to continue late in round four. Thompson, a native of Baltimore, MD improved his stellar record to 27-1 (17 KO's).
Reading, Pa. young heavyweight prospect Travis Kaufman (3-0, 3 KO's) impressed the crowd with his big left hand which hurt Robert Bell early and often. Bell, from Akron, Ohio fell to 2-2 (2 KO's) and was put to sleep for a count of ten at 2:27 of the first round.
In the night's lone female bout, Suszannah Warner surprised many with her four round majority decision victory over previously undefeated Noriko Ann Kariya. The taller Warner improved to 3-2 (1 KO), while Kariya, who appeared to be the busier and better skilled fighter, fell to 3-1.
The four round light heavyweight fight between Philadelphia's Edward Hemphill and Atlantic City's Chuck Mussachio proved to be highly entertaining. Battling throughout the bout neither fighter appeared to have much of an edge. Hemphill, trained by former two-time heavyweight world champion Tim Witherspoon, came up on the short end of the judge's scorecards (37-39, 36-40 & 38-38); giving a close win to the popular local fighter, Mussachio who stayed perfect at 6-0 (2 KO's).
The co-feature bout was supposed to be a showcase for the worldly popular and highly touted undefeated Jewish super lightweight Dimitry Salita. The only showcasing was of the highly atrocious way that the business of boxing, unfortunately, illegitimately affects the sport of boxing.
Over the course of eight rounds, unheralded Ramon Montano battered the over-hyped and under-qualified Salita; dropping him to the canvas twice in round one, hurting him in several of the rounds, as well as leaving the likable Salita bloodied and bruised by the final bell.
Credit is to be given to Salita for his fortitude, heart and no quit approach, but where is Ramon Montano's credit - in the form of a highly deserved win?
As the judge's scores were being read indicating a draw (yes, I said a draw!), the 9000+ in attendance boisterously let their feelings known, cheering loudly for Montano, now 10-3-2 and just as loudly booing for Salita, who miraculously remained undefeated at 24-0-1 (14 KO's).
The walk out bout of the night pitted Bayonne, New Jersey's Bobby Rooney against Derrick Sierra from the Bronx, NY. The four round light heavyweight fight ended, appropriately enough for tonight's fightcard, as a majority draw! No comment from this writer.
Rooney, now 5-2-1 (3 KO's), gets his first professional stalemate; while Sierra collects the third "D" on his 1-4-3 record.
