In what was meant to be the first in a series of fights to bring clarity to the heavyweight division, WBC Champion Hasim Rahman (41-5-2-33 KO`s) kept his title when the judges declared the fight a draw. One judge had the fight 117-111 and the two others had it equal at 114-114. James Toney (69-4-3-43 KO`s) came in looking out-of-shape and out of breath after the second round.
Although Toney was off-balanced and unable to put his combinations together, Rahman failed to put anything meaningful together to put Toney away. Rahman was very composed through the entire fight firing his jab at a rate that would make any heavyweight happy.
In what was meant to be the first in a series of fights to bring clarity to the heavyweight division, WBC Champion Hasim Rahman (41-5-2-33 KO`s) kept his title when the judges declared the fight a draw. One judge had the fight 117-111 and the two others had it equal at 114-114. James Toney (69-4-3-43 KO`s) came in looking out-of-shape and out of breath after the second round.
Although Toney was off-balanced and unable to put his combinations together, Rahman failed to put anything meaningful together to put Toney away. Rahman was very composed through the entire fight firing his jab at a rate that would make any heavyweight happy. Toney was able to use his left leading shoulder to roll off Rahman`s one punch at-a-time right hand that missed almost without fail.
Toney`s routine was to lean against the ropes to catch his breath, and lure Rahman in. Once in his territory, Toney would unleash an uppercut or a bodyshot that Rahman would walk right through. Toney`s heavyweight body did not give him the heavyweight power needed to put Rahman away.
Rahman failed to put any combinations together and began to tire towards the seventh round. Both fighters were fatigued leading into the tenth round but it was clear that Rahman had won the majority of the rounds. Toney was off balanced most of the fight and lost balance completely several times not from punches landed by Toney, but by punches he threw and missed.
In conclusion, this fight was aimed to bring clarity and definition to the heavyweight division. HBO, the promoters and boxing fans had anxiously waited and tonight we saw something we already knew: the heavyweight division is one that is the least exciting, least interesting and most dissapointing with the fighters the least appealing, most appauling and a division which is far from being boxings` staple.
