Title defense deal for "Rock" expected by Friday
( 2001-04-30 10:19 ) (7 )

World heavyweight boxing champion Hasim Rahman returns to training this week with a title defense deal expected to be signed by Friday with either Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis.

Rahman's promoter, Cedric Kushner, said the telecast networks backing each former champion have made offers and he expects a contract to be in place by the end of the week for what could be a 30 million-dollar showdown bout.

"He will be fighting again by August, September at the latest," said Steve Nelson, who co-manages Rahman.

Newspaper reports from New York and Washington said HBO, Lewis' telecast partner, has offered 14 million dollars and numbers from Showtime, Tyson's televisers, are near 15 million dollars.

"The objective is to maximize the money in whatever way the money is to come," said Kushner.

But Rahman has made it clear that if money is equal, he would perfer to fight Tyson to produce the maximum prestige.

"Tyson because I already got rid of Lewis once," Rahman said. "If I beat him again, the public will still say I've got to fight Tyson.

"I definitely feel like there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with being the heavyweight champion of the world and I'm ready to fulfill that responsibility."

Lewis' camp has already picked August 18 as the date for a Lewis-Rahman rematch. Such a fight is stipulated in their contract, but not necessarily as Rahman's first bout as champion.

"That's funny," Kushner said. "I guess they should have consulted with us first."

Tyson's scheduled June 2 fight in Washington against Nigeria's David Izon could be scrapped to avoid foiling a deal with Rahman if one is reached. Or it could be Tyson's final tuneup before his chance to reclaim the crown.

Rahman, 35-2 with 29 knockouts, has no doubt he will beat them both, no matter in what order and no matter whether he faces the tactical style of larger Lewis or the ear-biting antics of smaller Tyson.

"They both possess difficulty -- Lennox with his height and Tyson because of his tactics," Rahman said. "I don't know if I need ear muffs or football pads. I feel like I'll beat them both."

Rahman's two losses were a controversial stoppage against Samoa's David Tua and a humbling knockout at the hands of Russia's Oleg Maskaev.

"I want to thank Oleg Maskaev," Rahman said. "He was a wakeup call for me to get serious about this thing and get on with my career. That was the best thing that happened to me. He opened my eyes. I didn't take Oleg Maskaev seriously."

Rahman's first week as a world champion was a whirlwind tour that taught him the hectic nature of a ring king's lifestyle.

"It is very strange," said Rahman. "I don't know where we're going. I just show up and go along."

The journey from a relatively unknown title challenger to media darling began with a right cross to the chin of Lennox Lewis, knocking the Brit boxer out for the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council titles.

Rahman calls the blow an eight-figure punch "because it means I will make eight figures in my next fight."

Lewis did not take Rahman seriously in the April 21 showdown in South Africa. Rahman was a 15-1 underdog and Lewis bet wrongly he could show up late for training and overweight and still win.

"I would have made the same odds and been writing the same things," Rahman said. "I want to know who picked me and what was wrong with them."

The new champion recalled what he was thinking as he watched Lewis on his back flailing and trying in vain to rise before the count of 10.

"Your mind takes you to the market," Rahman said. "You're waiting for them to total up everything. You just hear, 'Cha-ching. Cha-ching.'"

Ah, that sweet cash register sound. Bidding began at 10 million dollars for Rahman's first title defense -- not bad money for a man who once fought for 200 dollars and made 1.5 million dollars for the Lewis fight.

The victory came in the wee hours of the morning last Sunday and was followed by a 17-hour flight to New York, which arrived late and caused "The Rock" to miss his connecting flight here.

So Rahman rented a car and drove back home here, gathering with family and friends and appearing at The "HOBO" Shop. The clothing store, which sponsored him before he was famous, is named for the phrase "Helping Our Brothers Out."

As "Charm City" awakened to the champion in its midst, a motorcade was planned for Wednesday to honor Rahman, who did not even box until age 20.

Eight years later, he appeared before thousands and said he wanted to fight Mike Tyson. As he was speeding away from the celebration in a convertible, a taxi struck the car in which he and his family were riding.

Rahman, his wife Crystal and two of his three children were knocked into the street, all suffering bruises and cuts.

On Friday, Rahman flew to Los Angeles to appear on Jay Leno's nationally televised talk show.

Then came a Saturday flight to Newark, New Jersey, and a meeting with journalists before an appearance last night in New York at the successful welterweight title defense of Guyana's Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis.