HASIM RAHMAN

updated December 08, 2008

At the age of 36, Hasim is a 14-year pro. A two-time heavyweight world champion, he is undefeated in his last five fights - 4-0, 1 no decision - since he lost the WBC title to Oleg Maskaev in August, 2006.

He is coming off a "no decision" result in his most recent fight - the rematch against former IBF middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight world champion James Toney in July, 2008.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: Rahman, a former two-time heavyweight titleholder, has to feel like he can't get one over on Toney. The first time they met, Rahman retained his belt but was the victim of a terrible draw decision in March 2006. Meeting in a rematch...Toney was awarded a ludicrous third-round TKO when the fight clearly should have been ruled a no contest after Rahman was badly cut by an accidental head butt in the third round and then said he had vision problems in his corner following the round. The doctor instructed the referee to stop the bout and the referee said it would be a no contest, the obvious call when a fight is stopped for that reason before four rounds are completed.

However, somewhere between that statement to ringside broadcasters and Jimmy Lennon Jr.'s announcement of the result, it became an undeserved TKO for Toney. The fight was televised on Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show Period," so let's call this the "Worst Damn TKO Decision Period."

Hasim's representatives appealed the result to the California commission, and it was later changed to no decision.

In his previous fight in November, 2007, Hasim scored a tenth-round TKO win against Zuri Lawrence.

He won the WBC interim heavyweight world title in August, 2005, with a 12-round unanimous decision against Monte Barrett.

Hasim was once scheduled to fight Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir's older brother. The first time was on April 30, 2005, for the WBC heavyweight world title, but the fight was postponed and rescheduled twice - on June 18 and July 23 - due to injuries sustained by Klitschko. The WBC authorized the fight for the interim title in Klitschko's absence, with the condition that Klitschko fight the winner in his next fight.

Hasim was scheduled to fight Klitschko again six months later on November 12, but Klitschko was again injured in training and retired. Having won the interim world title and with the world title vacated, according to WBC rules, Hasim became WBC heavyweight world champion. It was the same WBC rule that applied when Lennox Lewis and Ken Norton became WBC heavyweight world champions after winning world title final eliminators.

Hasim first won the WBC-IBF heavyweight world titles in April, 2001, with a spectacular one-punch knockout win against defending champion Lennox Lewis. But he lost the title back to Lewis in his next fight the following November, again by spectacular one-punch knockout.

The loss to Lewis started a four-fight winless streak - 0-3-1 - in 2002 and 2003 that continued against Evander Holyfield, David Tua, and John Ruiz.

Hasim is experienced against top opposition, and has fought former heavyweight world champions Oleg Maskaev twice (TKOby12, KOby8), John Ruiz (L12), Evander Holyfield (TL8), Lennox Lewis twice (KOby4, KO5), Corrie Sanders (TKO7), and Trevor Berbick (W10); former cruiserweight world champion Al Cole (W10); and former IBF middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight world champion James Toney twice (ND3, D12). He has also fought several contenders.