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By: Alex Williams, MMATorch Contributor Dave Meltzer at Wrestling Observer Online reports that Roy Jones' boxing/MMA promotion has offered Bobby Lashley two replacement opponents for Ken Shamrock: Don Frye, and former lineal world heavyweight boxing champion Hasim Rahman. Lashley has agreed to face either, and according to Meltzer, Rahman is the promotion's first choice. Jones' group is currently attempting to finalize the deal.
MMATorch.com reported at the end of February that Rahman was expressing interest in fighting MMA. At that time, however, he indicated that he had yet to start training for the sport.
Rahman shocked the boxing world when he won the lineal heavyweight championship by KOing Lennox Lewis in April 2001. He dropped the title back to Lewis in his first defense that November.
Williams' Analysis: If the fight happens, it will be historic as the first high-profile clash between a well-known boxer and well-known (albeit from his pro wrestling days)modern mixed martial artist. A few things to keep in mind, though. While Rahman was the legitimate, lineal heavyweight boxing champion (all the alphabet boxing organizations are bogus), he probably ranks in the handful of worst heavyweight boxing champions of all time. One would probably have to go back to Leon Spinks in the '70s to find the last boxer of the same caliber to hold the legitimate heavyweight championship. Also, Rahman is 36 years old, looked terrible in his last match (a stoppage loss to Wladimir Klitschko), and probably doesn't know a key lock from a keyboard. All this to say that while I doubt any boxer could beat Bobby Lashley in an MMA bout, Rahman is not exactly a great representative for boxing.
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