April Shower: Hamed and Lewis lose career-defining fights

By Elliot Worsell

AT the beginning of April 2001, it could be no exaggeration to say Great Britain boasted the very best heavyweight on this planet, the very best featherweight on this planet, and two of the most important stars in boxing within the form of Lennox Lewis and ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed.

Lewis, at that stage, was WBC and IBF heavyweight champion, and Hamed, regardless of relinquishing his WBO featherweight title, was broadly regarded the very best nine-stone fighter within the recreation and arguably one of many hardest punchers his division had ever seen.

They have been massive names, the likes of which hardly ever emerge in isolation, not to mention collectively, however have been additionally two males with targets on their backs who have been that April making ready for fights that might, unbeknown to them, play a significant half in defining their legacies.

On April 7, 2001, Hamed fought Marco Antonio Barrera, a former WBO super-bantamweight champion, in Las Vegas, whereas two weeks later Lewis defended his heavyweight titles towards unheralded American Hasim Rahman in South Africa.

Spoiler one: inside a fortnight two British world champions would turn into zero, proving that, so far as British boxing is anxious, when it rains, it pours. Spoiler two: for one of many dethroned British boxing superstars this April bathe can be the making of them. Yet, for the opposite, it could find yourself breaking them.

Preparation

Hamed and Barrera: Talked about for a while, the assembly of ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and Marco Antonio Barrera was signed and set to happen, initially, on March 3, 2001. By then Hamed had determined to vacate the WBO featherweight title he had defended some 15 instances and had performed so to keep away from having to combat his obligatory challenger, István Kovács, for significantly much less cash than he stood to obtain combating Barrera for the so-called ‘lineal’ championship. This made good sense on the time, as did Hamed’s resolution to field Barrera, the reigning WBO super-bantamweight champion, a yr after the Mexican had left behind bits of his physique and soul throughout an exhilarating 12-round warfare with Erik Morales.

A 3-1 underdog, Barrera had all of it to do however knew, in shifting up in weight to combat Hamed, he can be assured a career-high payday (reportedly $2 million to Hamed’s $6 million) and believed, additionally, he had the toughness to face up to Hamed’s energy and the talents to take advantage of what he believed have been flaws in his defence.

By January, the proposed March 3 date had fallen aside and a brand new date of April 7 on the MGM Grand, Las Vegas had been organized. Yet, even with further time to prepare, Hamed’s preparation – chronicled by the painfully revealing documentary Little Prince, Big Fight – was questionable, suggestive of a person both totally assured in his skill to destroy Barrera with one punch or, worse, a person so drunk on his personal hype he had disregarded the potential for shedding altogether.

Had this footage been launched earlier than the combat, the chances, if not Hamed’s angle, might have modified.

Lewis and Rahman: The yr 2000 was so good to Lennox Lewis he would have been forgiven for pondering every thing he touched turned to gold and that complacency was not one thing to concern however to as a substitute contemplate each pure and anticipated.

As heavyweight champion, Lewis made three profitable title defences that yr, beating Michael Grant, Frans Botha and David Tua, and subsequently set his sights on a money-spinning blockbuster towards Mike Tyson. The intention was for them to satisfy in the summertime of 2001 however this short-lived dream needed to be scrapped as soon as Tyson was issued a three-month suspension for failing a drug take a look at (marijuana) after his 2000 combat towards Andrew Golota.

All dressed up with nowhere to go, Lewis now sought various choices and would ultimately elect to make a title defence towards Baltimore’s Hasim Rahman on April 22, 2001. There have been different presents on the desk, together with a attainable combat with WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, however Lewis appreciated the sound of Rahman and, furthermore, appreciated the concept of combating in Brakpan, South Africa.

Rahman, again then, was a so-so heavyweight contender whose two most notable fights – towards David Tua and Oleg Maskaev – had resulted in knockout defeats. He had gained the three bouts previous to his title shot – beating Frankie Swindell, Corrie Sanders, and Marion Wilson – however was a 20-1 underdog towards Lewis for a purpose.

‘The Rock’ was decided, although. He arrived in Brakpan, a spot 5,200 ft above sea degree, on March 27, nearly a month earlier than the combat and, crucially, nearly two weeks earlier than Lewis (who arrived on April 10).

An oversight deemed irrelevant till confirmed in any other case, Lewis had performed the majority of his coaching in Las Vegas, Nevada, a location 2,000 ft above sea degree, and did so as a result of it allowed him to movie scenes for a cameo look within the 2001 movie Ocean’s Eleven. This was, whereas in Vegas, merely one of many perks of being the heavyweight champion of the world. It was not a difficulty till he was in South Africa and it grew to become one.

Fight Night

Hamed and Barrera: A examine in contrasting types, Barrera was as compact as Hamed was unfastened and would await Hamed’s looseness to slide from harmful to sloppy earlier than touchdown the combat’s first key punch: a left hook. So dishevelled was Hamed, the shot had the Brit performing a dance, even when not harm by it, and unquestionably set the tone. Hamed, in response, struck a pose, wiggled his hips and his shoulders, and smiled again at Barrera. He then took a jab within the face. Barrera, in the meantime, by no means altered his expression, hardly ever allowed both of his gloves to drop beneath his chin, and continued to edge ahead, treating his personal moments of success with a so-what? shrug.

As he grew impatient and determined, Hamed’s stance would turn into even wider and his photographs even wilder, and this allowed Barrera to seek out Hamed with jabs and hooks each time the ‘Prince’ was off steadiness. Short on concepts, Hamed had been on a mission to land a single fight-ending punch from as early as the primary spherical and this single-mindedness solely elevated as Barrera punished each certainly one of Hamed’s missteps and handled rounds like donations, gathering every with gratitude.

Barrera tamed him and taught him a lesson earlier than within the closing spherical, not content material with outboxing him, he rammed Hamed’s head into the ring put up to make sure the message was clear. It was, in impact, the last word signal of dominance. He had not simply overwhelmed him; he had overwhelmed him up.

A degree deduction for Barrera’s final-round transgression had no actual affect on scorecards of 115-112, 116-111 and 115-112 (all in Barrera’s favour), the supply of which left Hamed resigned to applauding a Mexican grasp he had been unable to harm. Hamed had been humbled, his unbeaten document gone. Worse than that, so too had his air of invincibility.

Lewis and Rahman: Forever snug when in management, Lewis may very well be seen through the pre-fight introductions asking his coach, Emanuel Steward, to make sure Rahman’s beltline was lowered earlier than any punches have been thrown. This message was then duly relayed to the referee, Daniel Van de Wiele, and Lewis obtained his want; the primary battle gained.

That want for management carried into the combat as Lewis, 253 kilos and the taller fighter, immediately claimed the centre of the ring as if solely he possessed keys to the property. He left Rahman, 238, circling on the surface, uncomfortable however not overawed, and seemed to both transfer the American along with his left hand or jab him with it.

Rahman, although, was unwilling to be managed and would now and once more dip, pull again, change his posture, and try photographs of his personal, sometimes within the form of jabs or formidable proper arms. Few have been scoring photographs however all have been designed to maintain Lewis trustworthy and achieve his respect. His jab was strong and lengthy and his proper cross harmful. But extra spectacular than any punch was Rahman’s composure.

“His (Lewis) mouth is already open and I don’t know if that’s significant or not,” mentioned HBO’s Larry Merchant in spherical two. The second was a spherical Lewis gained however Rahman might declare a small victory of his personal in simply attending to the subsequent one. He then elevated his aggression within the third, one other spherical he misplaced, buoyed each by the sight of Lewis’ arms being low and the sensation of weathering the champion’s finest punches.

If Rahman’s plan was to remain within the combat and financial institution on Lewis fading, it was a sensible one. By the fourth spherical, Rahman was creeping ahead uninvited and landed his first good proper hand, which sparked chants of ‘Rahman! Rahman! Rahman!’ from the South African crowd. Then, within the fifth, nonetheless powered by unlikely help and Lewis’ open mouth, Rahman shocked two extra proper arms, the primary a warning, the second liable for altering not solely the course of heavyweight historical past but in addition his life.

Lewis, not heeding the warning, smiled moments earlier than the second landed.

Lewis after he was knocked down through the fifth spherical of his combat towards Hasim Rahman on the Carnival Arena in Brakpan, South Africa (AFP through Getty Images)

Aftermath

Hamed and Barrera: In the minutes and hours following his first skilled loss, the phrase on each the road and within the ring centred on Hamed activating his rematch clause and getting revenge as quickly as attainable. Afterwards, Hamed himself mentioned, “I want Barrera again and I’m going to knock him out,” and appeared, at finest, assured and, at worst, honest.

However, the rematch clause, which wanted to be triggered inside two months of the combat ending, was forgotten altogether. This left Barrera free to maneuver on and combat Enrique Sánchez and left everybody else scratching their heads.

Eventually Hamed introduced his plan to return to the ring in a European featherweight title combat towards little-known Spaniard Manuel Calvo on March 23, 2002, just for this to be moved to May 18. When lastly he did field once more, greater than a yr after the Barrera loss, Hamed was sluggish, uninspired, and booed by his personal followers contained in the London Arena. There have been foot stomps, gradual hand claps, and even chants of ‘Bruno! Bruno! Bruno!’ as Hamed, missing motivation, cruised via 12 rounds to defeat Calvo by resolution.

Hurt nearly as a lot in victory as he had been in defeat, Hamed, the richest featherweight in boxing historical past, would by no means field once more.

Lewis and Rahman: Following his exploits in South Africa, HBO and Showtime each sweet-talked Rahman in an effort to safe unique rights to his subsequent combat. There have been rumours of Showtime providing him an estimated $19.25 million to face Mike Tyson in his first defence of the heavyweight titles and there have been rumours of HBO providing him $17 million to face Lewis in a rematch.

Rahman, nonetheless, turned down each presents, signed a $5 million cope with promoter Don King, and as a substitute agreed to combat standard however restricted Danish fighter Brian Nielsen, for which he stood to earn an extra $5 million.

That, ultimately, fell via, which meant Rahman was in want of an opponent and Lewis, eager to invoke his rematch clause, was instantly hopeful of revenge. Having gone to courtroom to pressure a second combat, Lewis signed to field Rahman once more on November 17, 2001, this time in Las Vegas, and was decided to right all that went incorrect first time round.

As it occurred, it took him not even 4 rounds to exorcise his demons and go away Rahman, this king for a day, flat on his again from a surprising proper hand. Focused, sharp, and filled with spite, Lewis was not solely higher than final time however maybe higher than he had ever been that November evening.

After getting revenge, all that was left for Lewis to do was finally meet Mike Tyson, which he did in June 2002, and then pattern the very best of what the brand new breed needed to supply within the type of Vitali Klitschko, towards whom he defended his WBC heavyweight title the next yr. Lewis was 37 years of age by then and actually previous his finest, but was nonetheless ok to maintain his belt away from a bloodied and enraged Klitschko (stopped on account of cuts after six rounds) and retire from the game on prime.

Even higher, Lewis departed whereas capable of say he beat each opponent he ever confronted in an expert ring, a boast made by just a few.

Lewis lands a left on Rahman through the first spherical of their 2001 rematch
(Photo credit score Jeff Haynes/AFP through Getty Images)