'Interim' Shambles for Heavyweight Division

The heavyweight division is a mess. Right now, there are four claimants to the throne: Vitali Klitschko (World Boxing Council), John Ruiz (World Boxing Association), Chris Byrd (International Boxing Federation), and Lamon Brewster (World Boxing Organization). In a well-run sport, they would face off in a four-man elimination tournament to crown an undisputed champion.

But boxing is not a well-run sport, and rather than consolidate, the powers that-be are further fragmenting the crown. That's because every promoter, manager, and adviser who gets a piece of the kingdom wants to hold onto it and chip away a piece of someone else's title belt. Thus, on Saturday night, Hasim Rahman (40-5-1, 33 KOs) and Monte Barrett (31-3, 17 KOs) will do battle for what the WBC calls its "interim" heavyweight crown.

Rahman, the WBC's top-ranked challenger, is one of today's better heavyweights, which doesn't say much. He's one of only two men to have lost to Evander Holyfield since 1998.The only world-class fighter that Rahman has beaten is Lennox Lewis, who knocked him out in a rematch seven months later.

Barrett was decisioned by Lance Whitaker in 1999 and Joe Mesi in 2003. He was also knocked down five times by Wladimir Klitschko en route to a seventh-round loss five years ago. He's ranked no. 2 by the WBC as a consequence of victories over an inexperienced Owen Beck and a lackluster Dominick Guinn.

Both Rahman and Barrett are promoted by Don King, who is an expert at lobbying for rankings.

Originally, Rahman was slated to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title. As the "mandatory" WBC challenger, Hasim was entitled to 25% of any purse bid for the fight. But the Klitschko camp gave him a 65%-35% split in exchange for a rematch clause. The bout was scheduled (for April 30, then June 18, then July 23), but postponed each time due to injuries suffered by Klitschko.

Eventually, the WBC sanctioned Rahman-Barrett as an "interim" title fight. That was significant because, under WBC rules, an "interim champion" is entitled to 45% of any purse bid, and no rematch clause is required.

After much screaming and yelling, it was finally (which in boxing means "tentatively") agreed that Klitschko will fight the winner of Rahman-Barrett for a 65%-35% purse split with no rematch clause before the end of 2005.

Rahman is taking a risk by fighting Barrett. If he loses, his opportunity to fight Klitschko will vanish. But Hasim wants the extra 10% plus whatever he'll make for fighting Barrett on Saturday night. If Rahman shows up in shape, he should control Barrett with his jab and punching power. But Hasim is sometimes undisciplined in training camp. And there's another issue that might effect the outcome: Rahman and Barrett are friends.

"I have a lot of respect for him and his family," Barrett said last week." But we're in the blood sport business. I can get up for any fight. You know I'll get up for Rock."

"He signed first," Rahman countered. "I won't do anything to him that he won't be trying to do to me." Then Hasim added, "Monte's A-game can't compare to my A-game. He's going to get punished."

One thing is certain. After the fight, the muddled heavyweight picture will still be muddled.

Rahman versus Barrett will be distributed by Showtime on pay-per-view. Other televised fights on the card include Ricardo Mayorga (27-5-1, 23 KOs) vs. Michelle Piccirillo (44-2, 28 KOs) for the WBC 154-pound championship; Alejandro Terra Garcia (24-1, 23 KOs) vs. Luca Messi (28-5-1, 12 KOs) for the WBA 154-pound title; and Luis Collazo (25-1, 11 KOs) vs. Miguel Angel Gonzalez (49-4-1, 39 KOs) for the WBA 147-pound crown.

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The war goes on between promoter Lou DiBella and former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, who have been feuding for years. In 2003, the promoter won a $610,000 libel judgment against the fighter, and the ugliness between them has continued since then DiBella promotes Jermain Taylor, who won a split-decision victory over Hopkins last month.

Before the Taylor fight, Hopkins declared that beating DiBella's flagship warrior would be "like a second erection." But he lost, and since then, has complained incessantly that he was robbed by the judges.

Last week, Hopkins lobbied to have The Ring magazine withhold recognition of Taylor as middleweight champion. The magazine refused his request and, according to staff member Joe Santoliquito, there were repercussions.

"Bernard had promised me he would sign a pair of boxing gloves to be auctioned off to raise funds for the American Cancer Society," Santoliquito said several days ago. "It had been prearranged, and I brought the gloves to the [August 4 show that Golden Boy East was promoting at] the Borgata. Bernard put me off and he put me off. Finally, he told me, 'F*** the American Cancer Society. Get Jermain Taylor to sign them.' "

When Taylor learned of the situation, he quickly donated an autographed pair of gloves and trunks to the charity.

"I know that Bernard has been generous with autographs in the past," Santoliquito noted. "And I don't think he has anything against the American Cancer Society. But he sure was angry at me and The Ring."

Dibella's take on the situation was harsher.

"Bernard is a great fighter, but he was never a great champion," the promoter said yesterday. "Maybe if he watches Jermain, he'll learn how a champion is supposed to act."