LAS VEGAS, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Hasim Rahman has something to prove. Lennox Lewis has to prove his critics wrong. Something has to give Saturday night when the two heavyweights meet for the WBC and IBF titles.
Rahman stunned Lewis and shocked the boxing world in April when he recorded a one-punch knockout in the fifth round of their bout in South Africa. Lightly regarded, the Baltimore native captured both belts and put himself in position for the biggest payday of his career.
"I believe he thought he would win the fight," Rahman said. "He may have been a bit overconfident, but I definitely think he trained. All the reports said he was going to blow me out early, even when he got to South Africa.
"Then he gets knocked out and it's `He didn't look good, he wasn't taking the fight seriously' and `He didn't do this, he didn't do that.' I feel like I was going to knock him out whatever shape he was in, and I'm going to substantiate that."
Rahman (35-2, 29 KOs) was hand-picked for that fight by Lewis, who felt he offered some name recognition and a questionable chin.
"It will definitely be totally different than the last one," Lewis insisted. "I am going to come out and assert myself and take back my titles."
Just 11 days before Saturday's fight, Lewis split with long-time manager Frank Maloney.
"I've got to the point where I'm self-managed now," Lewis said at the time. "At different points in their careers, people have to do things for themeselves. This is just a business decision."
On Thursday, Lewis weighed in at 246 1/2 pounds, 10 1/2 more than Rahman.
In two of his four fights before capturing the title, Rahman suffered knockout losses. He was stopped in controversial fashion by David Tua, who landed a punch after the bell in the ninth round, and three fights later was knocked out of the ring by Russian contender Oleg Maskaev.
"I'm definitely getting back my titles," said Lewis. "I'll let my counterpart do the talking, I will do the fighting. Anything he brings, I'm ready for him."
At 36, Lewis (38-2-1, 29 KOs) is at the crossroads of his career. Despite two reigns as heavyweight champion, Lewis never has recieved respect for his boxing ability.
"I am going to show him that his one fight in heavyweight history was only one fight," Lewis said. "He doesn't know how to command the ring against me. I've been doing it for the last 10 years. I have been in this game for longer than him."
To the winner goes a lucrative payday against former champion Mike Tyson or a possible unification bout against the winner of next month's WBA title fight betweeen John Ruiz and Evander Holyfield.
"I'm so confident going into the fight I will be victorious," Rahman said. "Let's just fight, bring on your arsenal. I heard that I'm not fit to be (your) sparring partner. If you run or you hold, you can't make an adjustment for something you're not ready for. I'll knock Lennox Lewis out."
On the undercard, William Joppy battles England's Howard Eastman for the vacant WBA middleweight title.
Joppy (32-2-1, 24 KOs) is stepping back into the ring just over six months after losing the belt to Felix Trinidad in a fifth-round technical knockout. Before that, he made six successful defenses of the 160-pound belt, a championship he is trying to win for the third time.
