Rahman vs. Toney ?You Make the Call? ? Win $100 Match-Play from 5Dimes.
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please post the winner.
winner must send me their acct id so i can get it credited
jack@madjacksports.com
winner must send me their acct id so i can get it credited
jack@madjacksports.com
Didn't see the fight...but from what I read here at MJ's, I am glad I didn't waste an hour of my life on the pathetic condition of heavyweight boxing.soul train said:
Rahman-Toney doesn't settle much in heavyweight division
By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer
March 19, 2006
AP - Mar 19, 12:59 am EST
More Photos
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Life atop the heavyweight division is crowded these days.
The draw between Hasim Rahman and James Toney didn't do anything to alleviate that situation Saturday night. Rahman still holds the WBC belt. Toney still claims he should be the WBA champion a year after he was stripped of that title for testing positive for steroids. And the future is hardly clear.
Indeed, Rahman isn't sure who will be up next for him. He'll take his orders from the sanctioning body, whether that means Oleg Maskaev, who beat him in 1999, or Toney again .
"If the WBC wants me to fight Maskaev next, I'll fight Maskaev," Rahman said after winning with one judge 117-111, but tying 114-114 with the other two. "If the WBC wants me to fight James Toney, I'll fight James Toney.
"I'm a fighter. Show me the money."
Rahman earned $2.5 million for the bout. A rematch with Toney won't bring him a lot more cash, but it probably is as attractive as a matchup with Maskaev or any of the other titleholders: Chris Byrd (IBF), Nikolay Valuev (WBA) and Lamon Brewster (WBO).
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"I'll do the best fight out there," added Rahman, who might wind up with a mandatory defense against Maskaev. Dennis Rappaport, who promotes the Russian, claims he has documentation that Maskaev gets the next shot. But because there was no winner Saturday night, another Rahman-Toney bout might satisfy the WBC.
"A rematch with Rahman makes the most dollars, makes the most sense," said Toney. "I can fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. The people's champ will be back."
Whoever that is.
Rahman, 33, has not earned the WBC crown in the ring. He was handed the title when Vitali Klitschko retired last year, and he needed a rally in the 12th round to hold onto it.
Neither Toney nor Rahman appeared hurt in the fight, although Rahman said he would need stitches for a cut above the left eye. The fighters praised each other afterward.
Rahman said Toney hits harder than Evander Holyfield and is the most clever fighter he has ever fought.
"He can punch harder than a lot of heavyweights I've been in with," Rahman said. "He's brave, he's got heart, he's got speed, power, he's a force to be reckoned with."
Toney is 37 and has made his way through every weight division from middleweight up. He looked flabby and tired in the final rounds, which probably cost him the fight.
But he's also a strong technician and he won't back down. Had he won the last round -- or simply placed a little more doubt in the minds of judges Nobuaki Uratani and Tom Kaczmarek, Toney would own the WBC championship.
"I ain't ashamed to admit I learned a thing or two from James Toney tonight," Rahman said. "James proved he could stand up to a heavyweight power puncher. I earned some respect from James and he earned some respect from me."
And what did the fighters think about the judging?
Of Stewart, who had Rahman winning in a rout, Toney said: "That judge was drunk."
Retorted Rahman: "I say the other two judges were drunk."
By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer
March 19, 2006
AP - Mar 19, 12:59 am EST
More Photos
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Life atop the heavyweight division is crowded these days.
The draw between Hasim Rahman and James Toney didn't do anything to alleviate that situation Saturday night. Rahman still holds the WBC belt. Toney still claims he should be the WBA champion a year after he was stripped of that title for testing positive for steroids. And the future is hardly clear.
Indeed, Rahman isn't sure who will be up next for him. He'll take his orders from the sanctioning body, whether that means Oleg Maskaev, who beat him in 1999, or Toney again .
"If the WBC wants me to fight Maskaev next, I'll fight Maskaev," Rahman said after winning with one judge 117-111, but tying 114-114 with the other two. "If the WBC wants me to fight James Toney, I'll fight James Toney.
"I'm a fighter. Show me the money."
Rahman earned $2.5 million for the bout. A rematch with Toney won't bring him a lot more cash, but it probably is as attractive as a matchup with Maskaev or any of the other titleholders: Chris Byrd (IBF), Nikolay Valuev (WBA) and Lamon Brewster (WBO).
ADVERTISEMENT
"I'll do the best fight out there," added Rahman, who might wind up with a mandatory defense against Maskaev. Dennis Rappaport, who promotes the Russian, claims he has documentation that Maskaev gets the next shot. But because there was no winner Saturday night, another Rahman-Toney bout might satisfy the WBC.
"A rematch with Rahman makes the most dollars, makes the most sense," said Toney. "I can fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. The people's champ will be back."
Whoever that is.
Rahman, 33, has not earned the WBC crown in the ring. He was handed the title when Vitali Klitschko retired last year, and he needed a rally in the 12th round to hold onto it.
Neither Toney nor Rahman appeared hurt in the fight, although Rahman said he would need stitches for a cut above the left eye. The fighters praised each other afterward.
Rahman said Toney hits harder than Evander Holyfield and is the most clever fighter he has ever fought.
"He can punch harder than a lot of heavyweights I've been in with," Rahman said. "He's brave, he's got heart, he's got speed, power, he's a force to be reckoned with."
Toney is 37 and has made his way through every weight division from middleweight up. He looked flabby and tired in the final rounds, which probably cost him the fight.
But he's also a strong technician and he won't back down. Had he won the last round -- or simply placed a little more doubt in the minds of judges Nobuaki Uratani and Tom Kaczmarek, Toney would own the WBC championship.
"I ain't ashamed to admit I learned a thing or two from James Toney tonight," Rahman said. "James proved he could stand up to a heavyweight power puncher. I earned some respect from James and he earned some respect from me."
And what did the fighters think about the judging?
Of Stewart, who had Rahman winning in a rout, Toney said: "That judge was drunk."
Retorted Rahman: "I say the other two judges were drunk."
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