Rahman Decision Packs a Big Punch

Hasim Rahman will either fight Lennox Lewis or he won’t fight at all for the next 18 months.

That was the momentous verdict announced Thursday in New York by U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, a verdict that sent shock waves through the heavyweight division.

The decision, which rivals in importance any handed down by a ringside judge:

* Gives Lewis a chance to regain the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council heavyweight titles he lost to Rahman April 22 in South Africa.

* Cancels the Rahman-David Izon match, scheduled for Aug. 4 in China.

* Foils, at least for now, promoter Don King’s plan to unify the heavyweight title by matching Rahman, if he had beaten Izon as expected, against the winner of the John Ruiz-Evander Holyfield World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title match Aug. 4.

* Throws former two-time heavyweight champion Mike Tyson back into limbo.

Maintaining he had a rematch clause with Rahman, Lewis sued the man who beat him on a fifth-round knockout after Rahman broke his contract with promoter Cedric Kushner to sign with King and agreed to fight in China.

Kushner also sued and the two cases were combined.

Cedarbaum’s ruling came immediately after attorneys had completed three hours of closing arguments.

Lawyers for Rahman had maintained the contract with Lewis was unenforceable.

Cedarbaum said Lewis would be irreparably harmed if he were not granted the match because evidence offered in a two-week trial--conducted without a jury--demonstrated that the 35-year-old Lewis can likely fight only two more years.

“And even in the next two years, his powers as a fighter will be diminishing,” the Manhattan federal judge said.

“This case confirmed my belief in the American judicial system,” said Lewis, who is English. “We have won an historic victory in court and I look forward to regaining my title in the ring.”

Rahman left the courtroom without comment, or any indication he will appeal.

Lewis’ handlers have already begun making plans for a rematch with Rahman, to be held probably in late August or September.

“We will hold the fight at the earliest practical time,” said Pat English, an attorney for Main Events, Lewis’ promotional organization. “This is a tremendous victory. The courts are there to make sure that people keep their word, and being heavyweight champion doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep your word.”

Added Lewis’ attorney, Judd Burstein, “What took place here was an outrage, and it’s nice to see justice was done.”

Still to be resolved is the legal struggle between Kushner and King. A decision by Cedarbaum on that aspect of the case is expected in the next few days.

Thursday’s ruling is the latest move in a game of heavyweight musical chairs that has been going on since Rahman buried his right hand in Lewis’ chin.

Tyson had been scheduled to fight Izon, but canceled that match with the hope of getting a shot at Rahman.

King originally signed Brian Nielsen as Rahman’s China opponent, but switched to Izon when he became available.

With both Lewis and Tyson seemingly shut out of the title picture, handlers for both of those fighters had begun serious talks about a match.

But on Thursday, Cedarbaum stopped the music, leaving everybody scrambling to find their place in the new order.

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