The tale of the tape for the WBC and IBF heavyweight title fight between Hasim Rahman and Lennox Lewis to be held Saturday, November 17 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas:
Rahman Lewis Age 29 36 Weight 236 246 1/2 Height 6-2 6-5 Reach 84 84 Chest (normal) 44 44 Chest (expanded) 46 46 Biceps 17 17 Forearm 15 15 Waist 34 34 Thigh 27 26 Calf 17 18 Neck 18 18 1/2 Wrist 8 8 Fist 13 12
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) - After months of ugly legal wrangling and public wrestling, Hasim Rahman and Lennox Lewis will take their genuine dislike into the ring on Saturday to decide if one of them is a legitimate force or the other a spent one.
Ever since Rahman (35-2) stripped Lewis of his World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) crowns with a thundering right in South Africa last April, the Briton (38-2) has labeled his American opponent as a one-punch wonder enjoying the last few seconds of his 15 minutes of fame.
Rahman, meanwhile, has been equally dismissive, claiming Lewis is a boxer past his prime and predicts the rematch will end in another knockout that will send the 36-year-old Briton into retirement.
"Lennox Lewis has said if he loses, he will retire," said Rahman. "I'm going to hold him to his word.
"I'm looking to beat this man, then I don't want to see Lennox Lewis ever again in my life."
The buildup to Saturday's showdown has been punctuated by a steady stream of disdainful diatribes from both camps, underscoring a very real dislike that has transcended the usual heavyweight hype.
Tensions escalated when Lewis was forced to go to court to secure a rematch and boiling point was reached in August when Rahman triggered a brawl on the set of an ESPN television show promoting the fight by using the word "gay" in referring to the former champion.
"I hope he's angry, that's my whole objective, to make him angry," said Rahman, admitting he has been making a conscious effort to agitate Lewis. "If he's angry, my plan worked.
PREPARED VETERAN
"He's the veteran and he should be prepared for this.
"Trash-talking is something I've done all my life and he can't respond to it and, if I get him out of the script, he's lost."
Lewis was initially reluctant to concede any credit to Rahman and blamed his shock defeat in South Africa on himself.
But his preparations for the rematch indicate he has developed some grudging respect for his 29-year-old opponent.
Clearly Lewis is not taking Rahman as lightly as he did in their first meeting. He arrived late in South Africa so he could film a cameo appearance with Julia Roberts in the remake of Hollywood movie Oceans 11.
This time, Lewis spent nearly two months bunkered down at a camp in Poconos and the results were on full display at Thursday's weigh-in when he tipped the scales at a trim 246 pounds, seven pounds lighter than he was in South Africa.
Lewis also said he had learned his lesson from the last fight, adding that Rahman would not be given the same opportunity to land another "lucky shot."
"How I got hit, coming off the ropes, my body turned to the side, anyone throwing a punch like that would have knocked me out," said Lewis. "I know in this fight I won't get hit like that.
PUGILIST SPECIALIST
"My main goal is to go in there and do what I do best. I'm a pugilist specialist.
"Whatever Rahman brings, I can answer it. I've seen it all before.
"I've been in this game a long time and I know how to readjust.
"This time I'll be 100 percent focused."
Even tucked away in the wooded hills outside New York, Lewis's preparations were not without unwanted distractions, in particular from his former long-time manager Frank Maloney.
Maloney's sacking appeared to be only a minor distraction for Lewis, though, who has changed allegiances as easily as others change CDs.
Lewis is resilient, having grown up in Jamaica, fought in two Olympics for Canada, won Olympic gold in 1988 and spent the majority of his professional career representing Britain.
The Briton has also insisted Rahman's trash-talking has had no affect on him, saying it is he who has the champion rattled.
PENTHOUSE OWNER
"I know he's upset because I got the penthouse and probably a number of different things," said Lewis, a slight 3-1 favorite to reclaim his titles.
"He's been saying stuff but I don't understand that talk. He just came into the game and I've been in the game a long time and getting under people's skin is my specialty.
"We're going into a fight.
"If we get in the same room, there's going to be a fight. He's got attitude, I got attitude and we're fighters so we'll take it to the next level. I'm willing to fight every time but I wouldn't say that's getting under my skin."
Lewis has fought once before to reclaim a title, having avenged a 1994 loss to Oliver McCall who will be fighting on Saturday's undercard.
But Rahman bristles with confidence.
"Lennox Lewis is preparing for the guy in South Africa, we'll see who shows up," he said. "I'm going to do some things different and he's going to have a hard time adjusting.
"He's never seen the guy who's showing up Saturday.
"The only thing he can base on is my previous fights and I don't think they can adjust.
"Whatever happens Saturday night is what is suppose to happen and I feel I'm going to knock him out.
"I don't see him being any better than he was
condition-wise or skill-wise when he fought Evander
(Holyfield).
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) - A Plexiglas wall and 10 pounds separated Hasim Rahman and Lennox Lewis Thursday as the two heavyweights weighed in for their world championship title fight rematch.
Looking trim and serious, a stoic Lewis (38-2) tipped the scales at the Mandalay Bay convention center a 246 pounds.
The Briton was seven pounds lighter than he was last April in South Africa when Rahman (35-2) stripped him of his World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) crowns with a shocking fifth round knockout.
The hard-hitting Rahman also comes into Saturday's rematch slightly lighter weighing in at 236 pounds, two pounds less than he was in their first meeting.
Lewis at 6-feet 5-inches, will carry a height advantage into the ring over the 6'2" Rahman but both fighters possess identical reach of 84 inches.
"We'll make the size be a factor in this fight," said Lewis's trainer Emmanuel Steward. "In the last fight Lennox didn't use his reach very much.
"It was basically a case of him just being relaxed and not having that much respect for Rahman.
"That's not the case this time.
"If the real Lennox Lewis shows up I don't see anyone beating him."
"He (Lewis) had a advantage last fight, more than this time," countered Rahman's trainer Adrian Davis. "We're ready.
"He's done his job. He's trained the way he's suppose to train."
In an unusual scene the two fighters, who have developed a genuine dislike for each brawling during a television interview last August to promote the fight, weighed in on individual scales separated by a sheet of Plexiglas and aluminum bars.
With the event being broadcast live on ESPN and a vocal crowd of about 500 screaming from the stands, the two fighters entered the arena from different entrances and never crossed paths.
While Rahman smiled and played to the crowd, flexing and posing for his fans, a stern faced Lewis quietly slipped out of his sweat suit, stepped on the scales and quickly slipped out of the arena.
Surrounded by his large entourage, Rahman continued to enjoy the proceedings but did not engage in any of the name calling that followed Wednesday's final press conference when Lewis refused to pose with the champion for the traditional pre-fight photo.