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THE HEAVYWEIGHT DEBATE!
DAVID TUA vs HASIM RAHMAN
WHO WILL WIN THE REMATCH?
T-minus FOUR days before
top-rated contender DAVID TUA, defends his NABF heavyweight title in a
rematch against former world champion HASIM RAHMAN in a 12-round
IBF-sanctioned title elimination bout. The fight will take place in front
of thousands of fans at the First Union Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA, and
millions of viewers on HBO's "World Championship Boxing," Saturday, March
29, at 10 P.M. EST / 7 P.M. PST.
Here's
what the "experts" had to say on Tua - Rahman II:
"Rahman has the ability to outbox Tua and David has the power to hurt
Hasim. That's the perfect combination to keep you on the edge of your
seat. Rahman can win if he displays discipline and good concentration,
but I'm leaning towards Tua doing almost exactly what he did before --
come from behind to win by stoppage in about nine or 10 rounds."
Claude Abrams, Boxing News
"David Tua caught up to Hasim Rahman in the first fight and knocked him
out. This time, Tua catches up to him quicker for an early KO."
Carlos Arias, Orange County Register
"If they had done this rematch immediately after their first fight in
Miami,
my call would be Rahman on points. But a lot has happened in four years,
and the feeling here is that Rahman won't be able to keep Tua off of him
this time. The Rock may be able to outbox him for a short while, but
eventually Tua will catch up with him and paste him with a good one. After
all, Rahman hasn't been able to take a punch since the last time
Tua cracked him. I like Tua in five."
Ted Bodenrader, The Ring
"David Tua should win by knockout over Hasim Rahman. Tua is still in his
prime. Overall, Tua is a better fighter, stronger, faster, hits harder and
has a bigger heart. Rahman is over-the-hill, and now only fights for a
paycheck."
Oscar Borras, 20 de Mayo
"While Rahman is a more talented fighter than Tua, the momentum lies with
Tua. Rahman's non-performance against Evander Holyfield last time out was
depressingly unimaginative while Tua's formidable punch and granite chin
make him one of the most dangerous fighters in the heavyweight division.
Rahman will let it all hang out. He'll have his moments, and it will be
the fight of the night, but eventually it'll be Tua by KO, probably by the
seventh."
Dominic Calder-Smith, UK Boxing News
"Rahman has gone from boxer to slugger as his technical skills have
diminished. That style dooms him to a crushing defeat in this rematch.
Tua by knockout inside of two rounds."
Dave "The Thermometer" Cokin, ESPN Radio
"Tua by KO."
Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press
"Tua by TKO 7."
George Diaz, Orlando Sentinel
"Tua by sixth-round KO."
Bernard Fernandez, Philadelphia Daily News
"Tua beat him once and he'll do it again. Even after almost five years,
the memory of losing to Tua in their first fight will still haunt Rahman.
Besides, Tua seems to be gaining momentum as his career goes on.
Rahman had his one moment in the sun against Lewis in their first fight
when he got lucky. He won't get lucky again.Tua by knockout inside eight
rounds"
Rick Folstad, IBOPBoxing.Com
"Tua by third-round KO."
Norm Frauenheim, Arizona Republic
"The end in their first fight may have come too soon for both of them,
but I think the outcome will be no different in the rematch. Defeat is
habit-forming and after two back-to-back, Rahman surely would have
preferred not to have Tua in the opposite corner. I see David wearing him
down with his unrelenting style and claiming a fifth round stoppage win
this time.
Scott Fyfe, The Sunday Post-Scotland
"Tua in four rounds or less. He's Tua much for ‘The Rock' to begin with,
and with Rahman's unsettled camp situation, this makes the call even
easier."
Thomas Gerbasi, MaxBoxing.Com
"I believe that David Tua will win with a stoppage of the Rock. Rahman has
suffered a dramatic loss to Lennox Lewis and then was stopped by Evander
Holyfield due to swelling. I don't think Rahman will be able
to overcome the setbacks at this stage of his career. Changing trainers
just before the bell is not helpful."
Ron Gerrard, StraightJab.Com
"After pulling ahead in a hard fought battle, Rahman will be badly hurt by
a Tua left hook and stopped in the sixth or seventh round. TKO Tua in 6 or
7."
Jerry Glick, Boxing Digest
"Tua by KO within six rounds. David has trained extremely hard for this
fight and he is TuaReady for Rahman. He knows the importance of this fight
for his career."
Butch Gottlieb, BoxinginLasVegas.Com
"Tua by early KO. Rahman is fading fast."
Roger Grandgenett, FightNews.Com
"This is a tough one, because Tua is on a roll and the Rock is wavering.
But for some reason my instincts are saying to go with Rahman. I think
Rahman is more fluid and should take a decision."
Max Hammer, Blue Streak Media
"Tua by KO in the last four rounds: Tua can be exasperating but I think
that he will have learned from the last fight and at some point he will
start letting his hands go. When he does I believe he will take over the
fight. But I don't see Rahman going out quickly. His jab gave Tua problems
before and it will do so again, but I can't see him keeping Tua at the end
of the jab all night."
Graham Houston, Boxing Monthly
"Tua by TKO 10 — Tua has trouble with anyone who moves and boxes,
but Rahman is no Chris Byrd in that regard."
Kevin Iole, Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Tua by knockout."
Jerry Izenberg, Newark Star-Ledger
"David, reunited with Sternburg, celebrates by breaking his personal
record and knocking out Rahman in 18 seconds. He will then predict an even
faster KO of Mike Tyson."
Mike Katz, Wine Spectator / MaxBoxing.Com
"This has a chance, a chance, to be a very good fight because you have two
boxers who are in desperate straights, one loss could signal the end of
their chances to ever gain a shot at the world title. Rahman seems to be
the boxer more on the way down than Tua, so I expect Tua to win --
cleanly this time -- with an eighth-round KO."
Michael Katz, Detroit News
"As a general principle, it's often hazardous to pick against momentum. If
Tua can be said to be on an up tick, the complexing factor between Rahman
and Tua is, as ever, that Rahman can box sufficiently well to beat Tuaman.
But a less agile Rock's been damaged his last two times out; thus, power
over stealth, Tua overcomes Rahman in round 9. Tua by KO 9."
Patrick Kehoe, SecondsOut.Com
"Tua TKO 9. Turmoil in Rock's corner can't be helpful."
George Kimball, Boston Herald
"Even though Rock has had a period on the biggest stage since their last
meet, that may have been at a cost in terms of his durability. Tua, but
earlier this time."
Glyn Leach, Boxing Monthly
"Tua by third-round KO."
Franz Lidz, Sports Illustrated
"Rahman by a decision. He should have won the first fight on a
disqualification. He will outbox Tua and stay away."
Thom Loverro, The Washington Times
"David Tua is clearly on the rise and Hasim Rahman had his fifteen minutes
of fame. With the crushing loss to Lennox Lewis and the subsequent defeat
to Evander Holyfield I cannot see how Rahman can win. He will have to box
circles around Tua and possibly earn a decision. There have been too many
distractions surrounding the Rahman camp, including the recent dismissal
of his trainer. This will be over early and David Tua will deliver the
knockout blow in round four."
Ed Ludwig, EastsideBoxing.Com
"Avoiding mistakes is Rule No. 1 in beating the Tuaman. And Rahman's
decision to fire trainer Bouie Fisher weeks before such an important fight
is a huge mistake." Tua by KO.
Franklin McNeil, Newark Star-Ledger
"Does the old adage about rematches after knockouts apply after such a
long time and seeing that both fighters have taken different paths to get
here? The logical thinking here is that Rahman will eventually get caught,
much like the first fight and that Tua will end it by mid-round stoppage,
a la his knockout over Fres Oquendo."
Mike Nosky, RealBoxing.Com
"I like Tua by KO, late rounds. Besides his recent losses to Lewis and,
especially, Holyfield, Rahman also has an uncertain situation in his
corner."
Jorge Perez, El Nuevo Dia
"Tua by KO 7"
Pat Putnam, Slingerlands Jewish Week
"Rahman has already been champ and I'm not sure the desire is still there
the way it is in Tua, whose one title shot ended in disappointment. Tua's
power will be too much for Rahman to overcome and it ends early. Tua by KO
3"
Dan Rafael, USA Today
"Tua by seventh-round KO"
Fast Eddie Schuyler, Boxing Laureate
"Tua 10th round TKO"
Tim Smith, New York Daily News
"Tua's on a roll, Rahman's on the edge. Tua, by eighth-round knockout."
William Stickney, Houston Chronicle
"David Tua enters this rematch with all the momentum after wins over Fres
Oquendo and Michael Moorer. It will be very hard for Rahman, coming off
back to back losses to Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, to have a
positive feel going into the fight. The outcome is very important to the
careers of both men and while I expect a close opening round, Tuaman's
power will be evident after two or three rounds really wearing on the
'Rock'. Tua KO4."
Paul Upham, SecondsOut.Com
"I like Tua in six rounds."
Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
"It's Tua in the late rounds....if he can score with combinations to the
head and body and not get tagged. Tua by TKO in 11th round."
Jack Welsh, Boxing Update & Flash / Arum Man
"6 foot 2 inch Rahman will outscore 5 foot 9 inch Tua in the early rounds
using extra reach to his advantage. The non stop aggressive style of Tua
slows Rahman down by round six as the New Zealand boxer consistently
scores with powerful head and body shots. The Tuaman connects with a
tremendous left hook to the jaw of Rahman at 1 minute 30 seconds of round
seven that drops the former world champion heavyweight for the full ten
count."
Ray Wheatley, World of Boxing (Australia) /
FightNews.Com
"Tua by mid-round KO. Rahman was getting the best of Tua the first time,
but then he was undefeated and had never been KO'd. That's not the case
any more. If Tua jumps on Rahman early and turns this into a war, he
should win easy. If he waits and only throws the left hook, it'll unfold
much like the first fight with Rahman ahead but getting KO'd late. But
this time, it won't happen after the bell. Tua is more motivated now than
he was in 1998 when he was complacent and waiting for a title shot.
Rahman's 15 minutes are up."
Johnnie Whitehead, The Ring / MaxBoxing.Com
MEDIA POLL TALLY
Tua: 40
Rahman: 02
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