Chris Byrd’s brutal one-round knockout at 55 has done nothing to stop an old heavyweight rival from pressing ahead with his own boxing comeback at 53.
Hasim Rahman has been handed a new date of August 18 for his return at ESL Ballpark in Rochester, New York.
The former two-time heavyweight champion was originally due to fight on July 14 before the event was moved because of “a problem with the prospective opponent.”
Organizers now say the issue has been resolved and Rahman’s opponent will be announced in the coming weeks.
The new date comes days after Byrd showed exactly how badly a comeback in a fighter’s fifties can end.
Hasim Rahman Comeback
Byrd returned at middleweight following a 17-year absence and was knocked out in the opening round by 28-year-old Anthony Welsh.
The 55-year-old former heavyweight champion was dropped before the fight was stopped, ending his comeback almost as soon as it began.
Byrd and Rahman were heavyweight rivals despite never meeting in a professional fight.
The pair traded insults during a heated Don King pay-per-view conference call in November 2004 while promoting separate fights at Madison Square Garden.
Byrd was defending his world title against Jameel McCline, while Rahman was preparing to face Kali Meehan in a heavyweight title eliminator on the same card.
Both men challenged each other to fight, but Byrd and Rahman never settled their differences inside the ring.
Heavyweight Return
Rahman famously knocked out Lennox Lewis to become heavyweight champion in 2001 and has previously outlined his ambition to break George Foreman’s record as the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Foreman was 45 when he regained the heavyweight crown in 1994, a record Rahman would shatter if his comeback somehow carried him back to a world title.
Byrd and Rahman threatened to fight each other more than twenty years ago without ever sharing a professional ring.
Now Byrd’s comeback has ended with a first-round knockout at 55.
Less than two weeks later, his old heavyweight rival received a new date to climb back through the ropes at 53.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
