Head-to-Head: Hasim Rahman vs. Monte Barrett.

Hasim Rahman and Monte Barrett are about to offend the Klitschko code of practice: they are going to fight. While that doesn’t make sense to a middle-aged heavyweight champion only one defense into a non-existent championship legacy, it is actually what keeps the business afloat. Unlike brother Wladimir, Vitali has nobody to sue, that is until remaining active becomes a pugilistic misdemeanor. In Rahman, we have the only viable heavyweight with any claim to legitimacy, courtesy of the right hand that shocked the world before Lennox Lewis returned the favor with interest. In Barrett, we have the gatekeeper of the division, overlooked and undervalued. Both men fight for the right to face Klitschko and the chance to gain his WBC title, but in truth, neither of them stands much chance of defeating him. One of Klitschko’s only redeeming features might be the fact that he continues to stubbornly evade the lure of Don King, but in the ring, he has that little extra to separate himself from the likes of Rahman and Barrett. Even the comparably sized Lewis found Klitschko a near-impossible target in their 2003 war and was fortunate that his superior firepower maximized what little successes he enjoyed. Undersized and lacking the craft to create opportunities, neither Rahman nor Barrett harbor any of the qualities needed to trouble the giant champion.

Read on for a detailed guide of how Rahman and Barrett measure up to one another, and ultimately, to Vitali Klitschko.

Strength: Rahman likes to dictate with the jab and the right hand, not relying too much on inside strength. If the John Ruiz fight is a gauge, then Rahman has no taste for inside fighting whatsoever. However, having worked himself into greater condition than in previous years, Rahman might be more willing to indulge a few more of those sapping exchanges. If he does not succeed in dealing with Barrett early, Rahman will need that extra fitness to deal with Barrett in the trenches. Barrett dragged many decent fighters to defeat through the imposition of strength and will. Both Rahman and Barrett are proportionately similar fighters, so the early rounds are important to establish who takes the momentum. Neither of them can compete with the brutish strength of Klitschko.

Power: For a fighter that frequently disappeared into meaningless excursions of blowing out irrelevant fighters, Rahman is never found wanting for power in the top tier. Much is made of the punch that defeated Lewis, but a punch not seen coming is said to double in impact. It must be noted that aside from Lewis, Rahman has never stopped a top-level fighter in his career. Barrett is not distinguished by showings of power. In fact, of his thirty-one wins, only seventeen stoppages appear on the Barrett resume and predictably enough, most of those happened in the first two years of his professional career. Rahman might be the puncher versus Barrett, but Klitschko must shade the advantage over both men. Whether early or late, Klitschko has seen off thirty-four of his thirty-five victims before the distance.

Skill: Rahman possesses the superior jab between himself and Barrett and can use it well to dominate the New Yorker. Against Klitschko however, Rahman would find his jab muted by the champion’s reach and awkward, straight-up style. Barrett has a good array of punches but stands out more on his total effort rather than standing out because of any mastery of technique. Klitschko is one of the least talented heavyweight champions, let alone fighters in all of boxing seen in recent years. Physical size and toughness allow him to get away with much of what he does in the ring, but the combinations with which he battered Danny Williams were an encouraging sign.

Heart: Barrett takes the edge in this department. For much of his career, Rahman seemed disinterested and has only perhaps now come to fight at something of his potential. Even just before the point of beating Lewis, Rahman looked as if he was trying to find a way out before the opportunity for that right hand presented itself. Barrett has shown that he is always up for the fight from the first round to the last and struggled with Owen Beck last time out before brawling him into a stoppage finish. The beating that Klitschko took from Lewis might have ended some fighters, but wanting to go on with that hideous facial damage shows courage.

Chin: Advantage Barrett once again. Tasting the canvas five times against Wladimir Klitschko means that he had to have gotten up four previous times. Rahman however suffered several more stoppages and if Barrett cannot dent his resolve, Klitschko definitely will. Barrett would make a spirited fight against Klitschko. However, in the end Barrett would find himself outgunned in so many departments that he would likely suffer a similar fate as when he fought Wladimir.

Career factors: As presented here, both Rahman and Barrett match up quite evenly. Their fight is an interesting one between two fighters coming towards the end of their best years in the sport. Both men endured years of hard fights and some stoppages between them. They should have enough in them to provide a fitting main event spectacle this Saturday, but barring a flawless performance or a sheer stroke of luck in fighting Klitschko, neither man stands a chance of becoming the WBC champion if and when they receive the fight against Klitschko.

Contact Jim Cawkwell at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk