BoxRec

Sounds like a daft question, but does anyone know when exactly Rahman was officially crowned the WBC champion. I know he was all but officially declared champion days after the Klitchsko retirement, but the WBC said they were going to do an "official ceremony/presentation" in December, I cannot remember reading that they done it.

Just wandering who was officially crowned champion first, Hasim Rahman or Nickolai Valuev.

Didn't Rahman get crowned at the WBC convention in Cancun back in December when he had his scrap with Toney?

Rahman and the word champion in the same sentence always make me chuckle!

dopey wrote:Didn't Rahman get crowned at the WBC convention in Cancun back in December when he had his scrap with Toney?

Very possibly, do you know if that was before or after the Valuev vs Ruiz contest.

achybreaky wrote:Rahman and the word champion in the same sentence always make me chuckle!

Why, he chinned the best one for years, remember?

and lost it in the return match. He also lost to old man holyfield.

20th December 2005: Rahman was presented with the WBC belt at a special ceremony held in the Le Meridien Hotel, Cancun, Mexico.

boxingchat wrote:

achybreaky wrote:Rahman and the word champion in the same sentence always make me chuckle!

Why, he chinned the best one for years, remember?

Its more of a reference to the state of the heavyweights at the minute to be honest for rahman to be classed as one of the top guys and a beltholder to boot makes me chuckle

SteveO wrote:20th December 2005: Rahman was presented with the WBC belt at a special ceremony held in the Le Meridien Hotel, Cancun, Mexico.

Thats the answer I was looking for, cheers.

I think Rahman is as good a champ as there is around, he has mixed it with very good people in the devision sometimes winning and sometimes loosing and he was the last person to beat Lewis all be it he was beaten in the rematch. I don't know why everyone has such a downer on it, I fancy putting a £5 on him to beat Tony aswell depending on the odds, tony is old and hasn't realy beaten a top HW.

josh fg wrote:I think Rahman is as good a champ as there is around, he has mixed it with very good people in the devision sometimes winning and sometimes loosing and he was the last person to beat Lewis all be it he was beaten in the rematch. I don't know why everyone has such a downer on it, I fancy putting a £5 on him to beat Tony aswell depending on the odds, tony is old and hasn't realy beaten a top HW.

Rahman doesnt beat brewster, byrd or even valuev the man lost to john ruiz and in my opinion beating monte barret doesnt put him up in the top level (yes yes we all know he sparked a lazy lennox, but got his ass handed to him in the rematch). Toney will make him look foolish hey if an old holyfield can beat rahman then toney is gonna beat him badly.

I think one problem Rahman had was that his chance came too soon, had be been allowed to continue developing without the lewis shot he would be in a far better position now, unfortunatly he got too much too soon.

It could also be that he is not very good but in todays crop he is around the top ten, he hit the jackpot when vitali retired and when he faces toney he will have the honour of losing a belt he neither fought for or defended successfully once.

achybreaky wrote:It could also be that he is not very good but in todays crop he is around the top ten, he hit the jackpot when vitali retired and when he faces toney he will have the honour of losing a belt he neither fought for or defended successfully once.

I think its folly to assume the fight is a forgone conclusion no heavyweight fight is that.

Rahman has something Toney doesn't, heavyweight punchpower.

However, Toney was able to stop Holyfield, something that Rahman didn't come close to doing.

I favour Toney because he's good at riding and slipping punches, and I don't think Rahman will be able to land many flush shots against the faster and more skilfull man.

If Toney comes in at 215 as he's promised, I think he'll box Rahman's ears off, and maybe even stop him on cuts.

josh fg wrote:

achybreaky wrote:It could also be that he is not very good but in todays crop he is around the top ten, he hit the jackpot when vitali retired and when he faces toney he will have the honour of losing a belt he neither fought for or defended successfully once.

I think its folly to assume the fight is a forgone conclusion no heavyweight fight is that.

Granted rahman has a ko punch but toney is just to good for him imo toney wins a ud.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Rahman has something Toney doesn't, heavyweight punchpower.

However, Toney was able to stop Holyfield, something that Rahman didn't come close to doing.

I favour Toney because he's good at riding and slipping punches, and I don't think Rahman will be able to land many flush shots against the faster and more skilfull man.

If Toney comes in at 215 as he's promised, I think he'll box Rahman's ears off, and maybe even stop him on cuts.

If Toney comes in at 215, I'll be amazed. I still pick him to take a UD though.

Well, it's him who said it....so maybe he really does intend to.

Speaking of Toney (and contemplating post-pub cigar) I seem to recall Toney being photographed with a cigar in his mouth after winning fights. Anyone happen to know what brand he smokes? And Don King for that matter too? Straying a bit of the Rahman thread I know but....

Dunno, but bet they're cubans.

fornicating annoying, given up smoking, and I've got three fat cuban montecristos sitting on my bastard desk.

Would love to light one up, but that would put me back on the slippery slope.

Sell them to friends as they'd be worth the price for Cubans.