Itis a fight promoters say has all the makings of a Hollywood script.
The Aug. 12 WBC heavyweight title bout between Baltimore-native Hasim Rahman and challenger Oleg Maskaev billed “America?s Last Line of Defense,” contains many of the elements of “Rocky IV”?s clash of civilizations.
There?s an American-born boxer who goes by the name “Rock.”
There?s a heavy-hitting Russian-born fighter, who?s already knocked “Rock” clear out of the ring with a hard right hand. And, there?s a new wave of Soviet supremacy in the heavyweight division, with three of four champions born in Soviet-bloc countries.
For the champion Rahman (41-5-2, 33 knockouts) the symbolism of the fight makes it more important than a normal match.
“I need to hold it down for my country,” Rahman, 33, said during a conference call with reporters from around the country on Wednesday. “I feel like if I lose this fight, I let me down, my family down, my team down, and my country down. Never before have I felt like I put my country on my back, and I?m fighting for my country, solely for my country. I mean I can?t allow this to happen. I can?t allow them to get a clean sweep.”
But Maskaev (32-5, 25 knockouts) and his team say the racial and ethnic tensions played upon by promoters are insulting, considering the No. 1 contender became an American citizen two years ago and lives in Staton Island, N.Y.
“We?re a bit confused by the theme, ?America?s Last Line of Defense,? said Maskaev?s manager Fred Kesch. “We thought that maybe Hasim Rahman was going to invade Staten Island, where Oleg lives with his family. So we were a little bit concerned about that.”
Maskaev, 37, agreed.
“I can say, ?Yes, it bothers me,?” he said of the billing of the fight. “Whoever is going to win is anyway is going to be American.”
But Rahman didn?t seem troubled by Maskaev?s concern with the fight?s East vs. West promotion.
“I don?t really care where he?s from, how long he?s been here,” he said. “This American will hold the title. … I mean, if his feelings are hurt, his feelings are hurt. You know, I don?t care. His body?s going hurt on the 12th.”
