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Byrd to defend crown; Holyfield makes comeback
John Ruiz and Chris Byrd defend their heavyweight boxing crowns in New York Saturday while former champions Evander Holyfield and Hasim Rahman seek triumphs that might give them a chance to reclaim the throne.
American southpaw Byrd, 37-2 with one drawn and 20 knockouts, defends the International Boxing Federation title against his friend and compatriot Jameel McCline, 31-2 with three drawn and 19 knockouts.
"Jameel is a friend of mine but this is just sports to me," Byrd said. "I love the competition."
Puerto Rico's John Ruiz, 40-5 with one draw and 28 knockouts, defends the World Boxing Association title against Poland's Andrew Golota, 38-4 with one drawn and 31 knockouts.
"The heavyweight division is in limbo," Ruiz said. "This card will be like reviving the division and the next step for me is to unify the titles. I have to prove to the world that I can be that undisputed champion."
Australia's Kali Meehan, 29-2 with 23 knockouts, makes his bid for a world title chance at age 34 against 31-year-old American Rahman, 39-5 with one drawn and 32 knockouts.
"I am going to knock Rahman out," Meehan said. "I am ready. I feel good. I have a lot of confidence. Rahman has a lot more to lose than I do. The heavyweight division is wide open right now and I'm right in the thick of it."
Holyfield, 38-7 with two drawn and 25 knockouts, will attempt to prove he does not belong on the heavyweight scrap heap when he faces fellow American Larry Donald, 41-3 with two drawn and 24 knockouts.
Holyfield, 42, has won only twice in eight fights over the past six years, including a loss to Byrd and being stopped by James Toney a year ago. Holyfield weighed in at 215.5 pounds, 11 pounds less than Donald.
"This is a crossroads fight for me and I look forward to being undisputed champion again," Holyfield said. "If I win, I will fight again until I win a world heavyweight championship."
Ukranian Vitali Klitschko, the World Boxing Council champion and the most respected heavyweight ring king, will defend his crown next month in Las Vegas against Britain's Danny Williams, who beat Mike Tyson earlier this year.
Byrd, 33, comes off two lackluster defenses of a vacant title he took from Holyfield two years ago. He struggled to a 12-round draw with Golota here in April to keep the crown.
McCline, 34, has won three fights in a row since being stopped by Wladimir Klitschko two years ago. He weighed in at 270 pounds, 10 above his usual fighting weight and 56 more than Byrd.
"Chris and I are friends outside of the ring but that don't mean nothing to me," McCline said. "He has what I want and I'm coming to get it."
Ruiz, 32, has an awkward style that has drawn boos from fans. The man who lost the crown 20 months ago to Roy Jones but regained it by beating Rahman is coming off a dull 11th-round stoppage of compatriot Fres Oquendo last April.
Ruiz weighed in at 239 pounds, one pound heavier than Golota.
Golota touched off a riot here in the first of two low-blow disqualification losses to American former champion Riddick Bowe and has a history of dubious actions in the ring. He know Ruiz has a history of hugging as much as punching.
"Ruiz will try to make the fight a wrestling match," Golota said. "But I will try to keep him away with the jab (and) the uppercuts. For me, if I don't win this fight I retire." Rahman, who weighed in five pounds lighter than Meehan at 232 pounds, has made the same promise. He followed a stunning 2001 knockout of then-champion Lennox Lewis of Britain with three losses and a draw and has padded his record with lightly rated foes since. "This is not a pick 'em fight," Rahman said. "I'm going to hit Meehan harder than he has ever been hit before. I'm 100 percent ready and focused. There's nothing Meehan can do to me. This is going to be my best fight ever." Meehan, a sparring partner for Ruiz last year when he was training to fight Rahman for the WBA crown, lost a controversial split decision in September to Lamon Brewster for the lightly regarded World Boxing Organization crown. "I felt I won and a lot of other people think I got robbed against Brewster, but that fight is in the past and I am only concentrating on my next fight," Meehan said. "I achieved one goal against Brewster. I proved to fans that I could fight and that made me feel good. I have a lot of confidence going into Saturday."
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