April Shower: Hamed and Lewis lose career-defining fights

By Elliot Worsell

AT the beginning of April 2001, it might be no exaggeration to say Nice Britain boasted the most effective heavyweight on this planet, the most effective featherweight on this planet, and two of the largest 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 extensively regarded the most effective nine-stone fighter within the sport and arguably one of many hardest punchers his division had ever seen.

They had been huge names, the likes of which not often emerge in isolation, not to mention collectively, however had been additionally two males with targets on their backs who had been that April making ready for fights that may, unbeknown to them, play a serious 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 out to be zero, proving that, so far as British boxing is worried, when it rains, it pours. Spoiler two: for one of many dethroned British boxing superstars this April bathe can be the making of them. But, for the opposite, it might 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 carried out so to keep away from having to battle his necessary challenger, István Kovács, for significantly much less cash than he stood to obtain preventing Barrera for the so-called ‘lineal’ championship. This made excellent sense on the time, as did Hamed’s determination to field Barrera, the reigning WBO super-bantamweight champion, a 12 months 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 transferring up in weight to battle 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 resist Hamed’s energy and the abilities to use what he believed had 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. But, even with additional time to prepare, Hamed’s preparation – chronicled by the painfully revealing documentary Little Prince, Massive Battle – was questionable, suggestive of a person both completely assured in his potential to destroy Barrera with one punch or, worse, a person so drunk on his personal hype he had disregarded the opportunity of shedding altogether.

Had this footage been launched earlier than the battle, the percentages, if not Hamed’s perspective, might have modified.

Lewis and Rahman: The 12 months 2000 was so good to Lennox Lewis he would have been forgiven for considering all the pieces he touched turned to gold and that complacency was not one thing to concern however to as an alternative contemplate each pure and anticipated.

As heavyweight champion, Lewis made three profitable title defences that 12 months, beating Michael Grant, Frans Botha and David Tua, and subsequently set his sights on a money-spinning blockbuster towards Mike Tyson. The goal 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 check (marijuana) after his 2000 battle 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 provides on the desk, together with a attainable battle with WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, however Lewis appreciated the sound of Rahman and, furthermore, appreciated the thought of preventing 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 toes above sea degree, on March 27, virtually a month earlier than the battle and, crucially, virtually two weeks earlier than Lewis (who arrived on April 10).

An oversight deemed irrelevant till confirmed in any other case, Lewis had carried out the majority of his coaching in Las Vegas, Nevada, a location 2,000 toes 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 turned one.

Battle Evening

Hamed and Barrera: A examine in contrasting kinds, Barrera was as compact as Hamed was free and would look ahead to Hamed’s looseness to slide from harmful to sloppy earlier than touchdown the battle’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, not often allowed both of his gloves to drop under 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 out to be even wider and his pictures even wilder, and this allowed Barrera to seek out Hamed with jabs and hooks every time the ‘Prince’ was off stability. Quick 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 considered one of Hamed’s missteps and handled rounds like donations, amassing 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 submit to make sure the message was clear. It was, in impact, the final 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 influence 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: Ceaselessly snug when in management, Lewis might be seen through the pre-fight introductions asking his coach, Emanuel Steward, to make sure Rahman’s beltline was lowered earlier than any punches had been thrown. This message was then duly relayed to the referee, Daniel Van de Wiele, and Lewis acquired his want; the primary battle gained.

That want for management carried into the battle 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 skin, uncomfortable however not overawed, and regarded to both transfer the American together with his left hand or jab him with it.

Rahman, although, was unwilling to be managed and would every now and then dip, pull again, change his posture, and try pictures of his personal, sometimes within the form of jabs or formidable proper arms. Few had been scoring pictures however all had been designed to maintain Lewis sincere and acquire his respect. His jab was stable and lengthy and his proper cross harmful. However extra spectacular than any punch was Rahman’s composure.

“His (Lewis) mouth is already open and I don’t know if that’s important or not,” mentioned HBO’s Larry Service provider in spherical two. The second was a spherical Lewis gained however Rahman may 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 battle 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 stunned two extra proper arms, the primary a warning, the second accountable 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 battle towards Hasim Rahman on the Carnival Enviornment in Brakpan, South Africa (AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Aftermath

Hamed and Barrera: Within 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 need Barrera once more and I’m going to knock him out,” and appeared, at finest, assured and, at worst, honest.

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

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

Damage virtually 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 battle. 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 provides, signed a $5 million take care of promoter Don King, and as an alternative agreed to battle standard however restricted Danish fighter Brian Nielsen, for which he stood to earn an extra $5 million.

That, ultimately, fell by way of, which meant Rahman was in want of an opponent and Lewis, eager to invoke his rematch clause, was out of the blue hopeful of revenge. Having gone to courtroom to power a second battle, Lewis signed to field Rahman once more on November 17, 2001, this time in Las Vegas, and was decided to right all that went fallacious first time round.

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

After getting revenge, all that was left for Lewis to do was finally meet Mike Tyson, which he did in June 2002, after which pattern the most effective 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 12 months. Lewis was 37 years of age by then and positively previous his finest, but was nonetheless ok to maintain his belt away from a bloodied and enraged Klitschko (stopped attributable to cuts after six rounds) and retire from the game on prime.

Even higher, Lewis departed whereas in a position to say he beat each opponent he ever confronted in an expert ring, a boast made by only some.

Lewis lands a left on Rahman through the first spherical of their 2001 rematch
(Photograph credit score Jeff Haynes/AFP by way of Getty Photos)