Former heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (50-9-2, 41 KOs) knows a thing or two about upsets. On April 22, 2001, at Carnival City in Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa, Rahman flattened heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in the fifth round of a scheduled 12 to win the WBC/IBF/WBO titles.
It was a shocking win. Lennox’s record was 38-1-1. He had not lost a fight in five years and was coming off a one-sided beatdown of David Tua, who many thought had the right stuff to ascend to the throne.
But Rahman’s reign was short-lived. Lennox got his revenge less than six months later with a fourth round KO at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
In his next fight, “The Rock” fought and lost to Evander Holyfield in a WBA heavyweight title eliminator. After fighting to a draw with the aforementioned Tua, Rahman lost a heartbreaking decision to John Ruiz for the interim WBA World heavyweight title.
Rahman fought for another decade, going a respectable 15-4-1 (1 NC), and may still be fighting as far as anyone knows. He was never a stylist, but he was rugged, tough as nails, and always dangerous, much like WBA # 2 ranked Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne, who is fighting WBA World heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev on March 5 in Chechnya.
Rahman recently contacted Lucas Browne in a show of solidarity.
“I believe Lucas will win the WBA title in his next fight,” Rahman said, “so let me congratulate him in advance. Lucas has the size and the strength to become champ. This is a monumental accomplishment and I’m proud of Lucas! Welcome to the fraternity, my brother.”
Rahman is not welcoming Browne to any ordinary fraternity. There’s no frat house, campus or Greek letters. The classroom is a boxing gym. The gridiron is a blood-flecked canvas. College boys need not apply.
“The Rock” graduated summa cum laude from the School of Hard Knocks and believes Browne is on the cusp of making the dean’s list.
“I know Lucas is going all the way over to Chechnya to fight for the title. I had to go all the way to South Africa to knock out Lennox Lewis. But trust me. Winning it away from home and against all the odds just makes it sweeter. Lucas has a big right hand, just like me. I think he’ll put Chagaev to sleep just like I did to Lennox.
“Get ready Aussies, y’all have a new heavyweight champion!”
“Big Daddy” has fought in relative obscurity against so-so opposition and at the age of 36 the clock is ticking, but there’s no time like the present to make his move.
“It’s a real honor to have Hasim Rahman’s support,” Browne said. “He was one of the most exciting heavyweights in the world. I still remember the two incredible fights he had with Lennox Lewis. Both of them had you on the edge of your seat.
“I see certain similarities with me and Rahman. Both of us are heavy hitters and always in entertaining fights. He had to travel away as an underdog to get the title and I have to do the same thing.
“He was not expected to beat Lewis in South Africa but he took it out of the hands of the judges and knocked him clean out. I am going to do that to Chagaev.”
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
