• Age: 35 (11-7-72)
• Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
• Record: 45-6-2, 36 KOs
• Height: 6’2”
• Reach: 81”
• Manager: Steve Nelson
• Trainers: Marshall Kauffman, Joe Pastore, Yaya Cason (Hasim’s brother), Sid Brumbach

HASIM “The Rock” RAHMAN (45-6-2, 36 KOs)…

World championship fights - 1-2-1, 1 KO...

Interim world championship fights – 1-1, 0 KOs...

NABF heavyweight champion...

Ranked IBF #3, WBC #4, WBO #13, WBA #14 at heavyweight...

Former WBC heavyweight world champion, one successful defense…

Former WBC-IBF heavyweight world champion…

Former USBA heavyweight champion, two successful defenses…

Now 35 years old, Hasim is a 13-year pro. A two-time heavyweight world champion, he has won four fights in a row, three by knockout, since he lost the WBC title to Oleg Maskaev in August, 2006.

He is coming off a tenth-round TKO win against Zuri Lawrence in his last fight in November, 2007.

This fight is the rematch – Hasim made his first defense of the WBC world title against James Toney in March, 2006, and fought to a 12 round draw.

Top Rank’s Todd duBoef told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, “I think they’re both marquee names, but they are at a crossroads in their careers. It’s all or nothing in a division that has suffered terribly with lackluster performances lately. The winner of the fight should be given the opportunity to fight for one of the titles.”

Hasim won the WBC interim heavyweight world title in August, 2005, with a 12-round unanimous decision against Monte Barrett.

He was first scheduled to challenge WBC world champion Vitali Klitschko on April 30 for the title, but the fight was postponed and rescheduled twice - on June 18 and July 23 - due to injuries sustained by Klitschko. The WBC authorized the fight for the interim title in Klitschko’s absence, with the condition that Klitschko fight the winner in his next fight.

Hasim was again scheduled to fight Klitschko on November 12, but Klitschko was again injured in training and retired. Having won the interim world title and with the world title vacated, according to WBC rules, Hasim became WBC heavyweight world champion. It was the same WBC rule that applied when Lennox Lewis and Ken Norton became WBC heavyweight world champions after winning world title final eliminators.

Hasim first won the WBC-IBF heavyweight world titles in April, 2001, with a spectacular one-punch knockout win against defending champion Lennox Lewis. But he lost the title back to Lewis in his next fight the following November, again by spectacular one-punch knockout.

The loss to Lewis started a four-fight winless streak - 0-3-1 - in 2002 and 2003 that continued against Evander Holyfield, David Tua, and John Ruiz.

Hasim is experienced against top opposition, and has fought current or former heavyweight world champions Oleg Maskaev twice (TKOby12, KOby8), James Toney (D12), John Ruiz (L12), Evander Holyfield (TL8), Lennox Lewis twice (KOby4, KO5), Corrie Sanders (TKO7), and Trevor Berbick (W10), and former cruiserweight world champion Al Cole (W10). He has also fought several contenders.

His webpage address is hasimrockrahman.com.

Key Fights - 2007 – WON VACANT NABF H TITLE - in his last fight on 11-15-07 in Reading, PA, he TKO’d late substitute Zuri Lawrence (23-12-4): Lawrence started fast and gave a good effort, and Hasim was cut over both of his eyes by the middle rounds; Hasim scored a knockdown in the 6th – Lawrence fell through the ring ropes onto the arena floor and was given a 20-count to get back into the ring, which he did to a standing ovation from the crowd; but Hasim finished the fight strongly – he staggered Lawrence repeatedly with right hands in the 10th round, Lawrence was out on his feet, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:20; after nine rounds, the fight was scored 88-82, 86-84 Rahman, 86-84 Lawrence...

On 10-18-07 in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, he TKO’d Cerrone Fox (8-6): Hasim weighed 242, down 19 pounds from his fight in June; he rocked Fox with a right early in the 1st round, then scored a knockdown with a series of punches later in the roung and the referee stopped the fight at 2:27…

On 9-7-07 in Mt. Pleasant, MI, he TKO’d Dick Ryan (55-9): Hasim scored two knockdowns with body punches in the 1st round; he scored another knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 2nd round, and the referee stopped the fight at 0:41…

WON INTERIM NABF H TITLE - on 6-14-07 in Rochester, NY, he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Taurus Sykes (25-3-1): it was Hasim’s first fight in 10 months, and he weighed a career-high 261 pounds; Sykes gave a good effort and several rounds were close, but Hasim consistently landed the harder punches and had the edge in most of the rounds; Sykes was penalized one point for low blows and Hasim scored a knockdown with a right-left combination in the 9th round; scored 98-90, 97-91, 95-93; after the fight, Hasim said, I expected to get a knockout and I felt strong, but he was moving and came in with a good game plan. I give him credit. It wasn’t my best, but good enough to get the win and start me on the road to another title. I couldn’t fight a title fight in this kind of condition, but a win is a win. I looked strong, but I wasn‘t busy enough. I probably got a little complacent knowing I was leading the fight. I want to fight again in 30 to 40 days. I can’t go into a major fight like this. I have to fight again and look much, much sharper.”…

2006 – LOST WBC H WORLD TITLE - on 8-12-06 in Las Vegas, NV, he was TKO’d in the rematch against Oleg Maskaev (32-5): the bout headlined at the Thomas & Mack Arena and drew an announced crowd of 8,842; it was an exciting fight, and the momentum shifted back and forth; Hasim started fast and outworked Maskaev in the early rounds - Maskaev was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 2nd round, and Hasim rocked him with hard combinations in the 3rd; after six rounds, the judges scored 59-55, 58-56 Rahman, 58-56 Maskaev; Maskaev swept the 7th round on all three scorecards, Hasim swept the 8th, then Hasim won the 9th on two cards; both fighters tired late in the fight, but Maskaev had more left – he came on very strongly and swept the 10th and 11th on all three scorecards and cut Hasim over his right eye in the 11th round; Maskaev scored a knockdown with a left hook in the 12th round and bloodied Hasim’s mouth – Hasim got up, but Maskaev rocked him with a series of punches, Hasim was out of his feet, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:17; after 11 rounds, the fight was scored 106-103 Rahman, 106-103, 105-104 Maskaev; after the fight, Hasim said, “I thought I was winning the fight. The ref said break and I got hit with a shot. I thought he was getting tired. I hit him with some body shots. He was just in better condition than I thought he was. But he hurt me with a shot after the ref said break, he should have been penalized. It happened to me before with David Tua. I’m extremely disappointed. I got to go look at the tape and see what I did wrong, see what I’m going to do.”...

1ST WBC H WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - on 3-18-06 in Atlantic City, NJ, he fought to a 12 round draw against former IBF middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight world champion James Toney (69-4-2): the fight headlined at the Boardwalk Hall and drew an announced crowd of 8,427; Toney was considered a 2-1 favorite and it was a good, close fight; Hasim fought aggressively, consistently outworked Toney, and landed the harder punches, but Toney was effective with sharp counterpunches throughout the fight; the momentum shifted back and forth, and many rounds were hard to score - all three judges agreed on only five rounds; after four rounds, the fight was scored 39-37 Rahman, 39-37 Toney, 38-38, and Hasim was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 5th; after eight rounds, the fight was scored 78-74, 77-75 Rahman, 76-76, and Toney bloodied Hasim’s mouth in the 9th; after the 11th, the scores had shifted to 105-104, 105-104 Toney, 107-102 Rahman, but Hasim won the final round on all three scorecards for final scores of 117-111 Rahman, 114-11, 114-114; most observers thought Hasim deserved to win; after the fight, Hasim said, “I’m the champ and I thought I won the fight clean, and I know I won the last round. I think the judge who scored it 117-111 had it right. Even though it was a draw, I am still champ. I can go on from here. I can do what I want.”...

2005 - WON WBC INTERIM H WORLD TITLE - on 8-13-05 in Chicago, IL, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Monte Barrett (31-3): the fight headlined at the United Center and drew an announced crowd of 15,101; Hasim pressed forward, outworked Barrett, and landed the harder punches; Barrett fought very defensively for most of the fight, and the crowd booed the lack of action; Hasim cut Barrett over the left eye in the 4th round, then rocked him in the 5th and 7th and buckled his knees at the bell ending the 8th; Hasim was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 9th round, and Barrett picked up his pace in the late rounds, but Hasim won by scores of 118-110, 118-110, 116-112; after the fight, Hasim said, “This isn’t the heavyweight championship of the world but it’s a must-win, because you will not get to the heavyweight championship of the world without this fight. It might not have been as pretty as y’all wanted it to be. It was tough in a different way. He had a good game plan. He tried to move around and tire me out, but I was in good shape. I got dinged and Monte is a good puncher. I showed tonight that I was ready to go 12 rounds. I don’t expect Klitschko to move around like that. Klitschko thinks he’s a puncher. I think I’m a puncher. So we’ll be in the center of the ring.”…

2004 - WBC, IBF H ELIMINATION BOUT - on 11-13-04 in New York, NY, he TKO’d Kali Meehan (29-2): Hasim weighed 232 - down 14 pounds from from his previous fight in July, and down 27 pounds from his career-high 259 in March, 2003 - and dominated the fight; Meehan’s nose was bloodied by the 2nd round, and Hasim staggered him in the 2nd and 3rd; Hasim staggered Meehan with a series of unanswered punches in the 4th round, and Meehan’s corner threw in the towel to stop the fight at the bell; after the fight, Hasim said, “I’ve been through so many highs, the lows. I’ve been written off so many times. They said I couldn’t take a punch. They say I don’t train right and my entourage gets in the way. They all have something negative to say, but I take it all on the chin. I’m with a great teacher, my team is right, and it’s just beginning. I’m on a mission to regain the heavyweight championship. This is what you’re going to see from me from now on, fighting hard from round one to 12. I’m only going to be better my next fight.”…

On 7-28-04 in Rochester, NY, he knocked out Terrance Lewis (32-14-1): Hasim bloodied Lewis’ nose in the 1st round; he scored a knockdown in the 2nd, and Lewis was counted out on all-fours at 0:43; after the fight, Hasim said, “I feel like everybody didn’t think I’d do this to Terrence Lewis. They thought he’d be more of a threat and give me more of a fight. But I’m in shape, I’m a champion and I’m looking to regain the heavyweight championship of the world. If you don’t belong in the ring with me, you won’t be in there long.”…

On 6-17-04 in Glen Burnie, MD, he knocked out Rob Calloway (47-4-1): Hasim scored a knockdown in the 2nd round, and Calloway was counted out at 2:00; after the fight, Hasim said, “It was a pleasant surprise. I thought I was going to have to chase him around, chase him around, and work the body for about four, five, six rounds. He thought he could trade punches with me. It worked out in my favor.”…

On 4-16-04 in Dover, DE, he knocked out Mario Cawley (22-11): Hasim scored a knockdown in the 2nd round, and Cawley was counted out at 2:25; after the fight, Hasim said, “He didn’t come to fight, he came to survive. It got to the point where I made a conscious decision to let him hit me with some punches to try to get his confidence up so we could make it a fight. I’ve never done that before in my life.”…

On 3-11-04 in Glen Burnie he won a 10 round decision against former IBF cruiserweight world champion Al Cole (34-12-3): it was a very close fight; Hasim bloodied Cole’s nose in the 1st round, but Cole outworked him in the early rounds; both tired in the middle rounds, but Hasim finished strongly in the late rounds, and won by scores of 96-94 on all three scorecards; looking back, Hasim said, “He wouldn’t go down. I’m disappointed I didn’t give the fans what they wanted to see. In the end, I needed a win. I had to get back on track.”…

2003 - VACANT WBA INTERIM H WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - on 12-13-03 in Atlantic City, NJ, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against John Ruiz (35-4-1): it was a slow-paced fight with repeated clinching and wrestling, and the fans booed the lack of action; scored 118-110, 116-112, 115-114; after the fight, Hasim said, “I had a powerful jab. I would throw it, and he would grab it. I won the fight. I controlled the fight. That decision was crazy. This is ridiculous.”…

IBF H ELIMINATION BOUT - on 3-29-03 in Philadelphia, PA, he fought to a 12 round draw in the rematch against David Tua (42-3): it was a very close fight; Hasim weighed a career-high 259, but boxed and moved effectively and dominated the early rounds; Tua was cut over both eyes and had a bloody mouth; Hasim tired in the middle rounds and Tua rallied; Hasim floored Tua just after the bell had ended the 12th round, and it was not scored as a knockdown; most observers thought Hasim deserved to win, but the judges scored 16-112 Rahman, 116-112 Tua, 114-114; after the fight, Hasim said, “That’s crazy man, I can’t win for losing. Same old stuff. I beat him twice and I got no victories to show for it. Like I did last time, I won. I can’t win against this man. I made him bleed from his mouth, his nose and his eyes. I’m speechless. There’s no way to justify that, but I’ve seen worse.”…

2002 - IBF H ELIMINATION BOUT - on 6-1-02 in Atlantic City he lost a technical decision against former three-time heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield (37-5-2): Holyfield rocked Hasim several times in the 3rd round, and Hasim was cut over the left eye in the 4th by a clash of heads; another headclash caused a large swelling to develop on the left side of Hasim’s forehead in the 7th round, and the referee stopped the fight on the injury at 1:40 of the 8th and went to the scorecards - 69-64, 69-64 Holyfield, 67-66 Rahman; after the fight, Hasim said, “I didn’t think he could do so much damage with his head. He must have a metal plate in there or something. I have a cut in the middle of my forehead, and an extra head on my head. He was headbutting me from round one and I pointed it out to the referee. I don’t feel Evander beat me. I don’t think it was a fair or an official fight.”…

2001 - LOST WBC, IBF H WORLD TITLES - on 11-17-01 in Las Vegas, NV, he was knocked out against former two-time heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis (38-2-1): it was a spectacular one-punch knockout; Lewis dominated the fight - he won the first three rounds with a steady jab and busier pace, and scored a knockdown with a right hand in the 4th that put Hasim flat on his back; Hasim struggled to get up but stumbled down again, and was counted out at 1:29; after three rounds, Lewis led by scores of 30-27 on all three scorecards…

WON WBC, IBF H WORLD TITLES - on 4-22-01 in Brakpan, SA, he knocked out defending champion Lennox Lewis (38-1-1): it was a spectacular one-punch knockout, and a huge upset; both fighters had their moments in the first four rounds, but Hasim came on strong in the 5th - he rocked Lewis with a right hand midway through the round and, moments later, scored a knockdown with a right hand that put Lewis flat on his back; he struggled to get up, but was counted out at 2:32; after four rounds, Lewis led by scores of 39-37 on all three scorecards…

2000 - on 5-20-00 in Atlantic City he TKO’d Corrie Sanders (36-1): Sanders started fast and dominated the first two rounds; he knocked down Hasim in the 3rd round, but as Sanders moved in to follow up, Hasim knocked him down and took control of the fight; Hasim scored another knockdown in the 4th, and stopped Sanders at 1:50 of the 7th; Hasim led by scores of 58-55 on all three scorecards; Sanders went on to win the WBO heavyweight world title…

1999 - on 11-6-99 in Atlantic City he was knocked out against Oleg Maskaev (17-2): it was an exciting fight; Hasim built an early lead and staggered Maskaev in the 6th round; but Maskaev rallied to score a knockdown in the 8th, Hasim fell through the ropes onto the arena floor, and was counted out at 2:20; Hasim led on all three scorecards, and a riot broke out in the crowd after the fight…

On 3-12-99 in New York he TKO’d Michael Rush (17-3-1): Hasim won every round and cut Rush over his left eye in the 5th - Rush went to one knee, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:40…

1998 – LOST USBA H TITLE, IBF H ELIMINATOR - on 12-19-98 in Miami, FL, he was TKO’d against contender David Tua (32-1): Hasim dominated the fight with his jab and built a lead, but Tua kept pressing forward and rallied in the 7th round; he landed a left hook that left Hasim dazed clearly after the bell had ended the 9th round - the rules call for a five minute rest period for a foul, but one was not given; Hasim had not recovered at the start of the 10th - Tua rocked him with a series of punches, and the referee stopped the fight at 0:35…

On 1-31-98 in Atlantic City he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Jesse Ferguson (24-16): Hasim controlled the fight with his jab and right hand; he cut Ferguson in the 4th round, scored a knockdown in the 8th, and won by scores of 119-108, 119-108, 118-109…

1997 - on 11-1-97 in New York he won a 10 round unanimous decision against contender Obed Sullivan (28-1-1): Hasim built an early lead and staggered Sullivan in the 6th round; Sullivan rallied in rounds nine and 10, but Hasim won by scores of 116-112, 116-112, 114-114…

1996 - on 10-15-96 in Atlantic City he won a 10 round unanimous decision against former WBC heavyweight world champion Trevor Berbick (45-8-1): Hasim scored a knockdown in the 1st round, and won by scores of 99-89, 99-90, 97-91…

He debuted on 12-3-94 at the age of 22…

AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Hasim was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the second-oldest child in a family with eight brothers and three sisters. His father was an engineer and his mother worked, as well.

He earned straight A’s in elementary school in Cherry Hill, Md., and was often asked to move up with students from the next grade. Hasim said, “I was a nerd from kindergarten until third grade, but I got beat up a lot by older kids.”

He said that when his teachers sent him to the next grade to provide more challenges for him in subjects where he excelled, the older boys took that as a slight, and schoolyard fights ensued.

After he finished second grade, Hasim’s family moved to West Baltimore and he decided to change his personality to help cope with the trouble at school. He said, “I made a conscious decision to change my attitude, to become a bad boy to change my image, so I wouldn’t get picked on. I excelled at my new school, but the group I was hanging with didn’t think it was cool to study.

“The school even wanted me to join a program for gifted students, but I didn’t do it because I was afraid that what happened in Cherry Hill might happen again.” As he grew older, Hasim said he “started doing what the bad guys do.” This included fighting, riding in stolen cars and staying away from school. He dropped out of school in the 11th grade, and most of his friends were dropouts, too. He said, “My dad owned an engineering company, so I felt like I had a safety net once I decided to get off the streets.”

Hasim said that everything changed for him when he turned 18. “I had a son and that was a wake-up call for me. My mom always told me I was going to be somebody, and I felt I had to do better for my son. I had a child because I didn’t think I was going to live to see 21. I wanted to just have my son before I died, but once he got here it changed my life. I knew I couldn’t leave him stranded.”

Hasim received his high school equivalency diploma and enrolled at the Community College of Baltimore. He said, “I took some remedial courses because I knew I had to start somewhere. I felt God was with me, even in the bad times.”

He had an unusual introduction to boxing - Hasim was challenged by a neighborhood boxer to what he called a “body-punching contest.” He said, “I got the better of him and he said I should stop by the Mack Lewis Gym. I’ll never forget what he said to me: ‘You could make a million bucks.’ ”

Hasim started boxing at the age of 20 and reported had only 10 amateur fights (7-3)…he was in a car accident several years ago and was thrown through the windshield – he needed over 500 stitches, and it left the right side of his face badly scarred.

A lifelong Muslim, Hasim visited his religion’s holy land soon after winning the heavyweight titles. He said, “This is the manner in which I am raising my children, so they will have these values instilled in them every day.”

Hasim lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Crystal, and three children, Hasim Jr., 14, Sharif, nine, and Amirah, seven.

STRENGTHS: Has an aggressive style and good skills…sets up his attack with his jab, has very good punching power…physically strong…is experienced against top opposition…

WEAKNESSES: Can be inconsistent...has lacked stamina...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 53 fights…263 total rounds…45 world championship rounds…

AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.9 rounds…

KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 80 %…

DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 7 (3-3-2)…10 rounds – 7 (6-1)…