Rahman-Reed preview

By Chris Perry
Photo by Terri Degenaars/A-List Photography

The official weigh-in for the International Championship Boxing Knockout Series on Aug. 14, “The Showdown Downtown” event in Norfolk, Virginia was held today at The Waterside Festival Marketplace in downtown Norfolk. The third ICB event at the Scope Arena features two main events with former heavyweight champion of the world Hasim Rahman challenging Damon Reed and a super middleweight clash between Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan and Norfolk’s own Bobby Jordan, Jr.

Rahman (47-7-2, 38 KOs) weighed in at 254 pounds while Reed (45-13, 32 KOs) weighed in at 228 pounds. The Baltimore native, who held the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles after knocking out Lennox Lewis in 2001, is working his way back to a future championship shot after a 7th round TKO loss to Wladimir Klitschko in 2008. His bout against Reed will be his third fight this year.

“I think I’m finally focused on the task at hand and that is not just getting a title shot, but getting one of these titles,” Rahman told Fightnews before stepping on the scale. “I believe that if I concentrate, get myself into shape and top form and start coming into these fights around 230 pounds, the title is mine. I’m working; I’m on my way back. I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I know what it takes. This is how I got to be heavyweight champion once. This is how I got to be heavyweight champion twice and this is how I’m going to be heavyweight champion for the third time. It’s nothing new, this is what I do.”

Reed, a durable 15-year ring veteran known to regularly issue open challenges at his Topeka, Kansas sports bar awarding cash prizes to anyone who can knock him out, said, “I feel really, really good. My body feels good. I feel young again. I feel rejuvenated. I’m excited about tomorrow. I think the fight’s going to go really good. I think we’ll get a lot of good rounds in. I’m going to outbox “The Rock” so, we’ll see how it goes.”

“A win for me would mean better paydays and better things,” continued Reed, who has challenged the likes of Brian Nielsen, Herbie Hide, Kali Meehan and Monte Barrett over the course of his career. “I may go overseas, get something big over there and cash in. Or, I may even drop back down to cruiserweight, because I can fight at either weight. All I want to do now is fight big fights.”

“He’s a guy who can be crafty,” said Rahman about Reed. “He can move a lot. But, like the great Joe Louis said, you can run but you can’t hide. I’m going to catch up with him at some point and, when I do, that will be the end of the fight.”

For the second main event, Bobby Jordan, Jr. (8-2-1, 4 KOs) weighed in at 168 pounds while WBF All Americas Super Middleweight Champion Henry Buchanan (19-2, 12 KOs) weighed in over the contracted weight limit at 175 pounds. Buchanan will have another opportunity to weigh-in tomorrow morning. If he does not make weight, he cannot retain the title with a victory over Jordan. Jordan, however, can capture the belt with a win.

“Right now, I’m a little tired and weak from trying to make weight to be honest with you,” Buchanan told Fightnews just minutes before stepping on the scale. “I’m starting to get a little nervous also because, before any fight, I always get a little nervous. It’s normal. I’m fighting in his hometown, so I’m worried about, if I don’t win decisively, are they going to try and take this one away from me? So, I have a lot of things running through my mind right now. My main focus is to try and make weight and to get some nutrients back in my body so I can preform properly tomorrow. The thing about it is, I’ve already made up my mind and have come to the conclusion that if I can just give the fight everything I’ve got without holding anything back, I can live with that. If I go in the fight with too many things on my mind, it’s going to take away from my fight game. So, I just want to get in the ring, start to warm up, mix it up a little bit, use my jab and I’m sure the same thing that happened the last time we fought will happen again tomorrow.”

Buchanan and Jordan have a long history together in the ring having clashed six times as amateurs – Buchanan won five of the six bouts – and once before as professionals when the Capital Heights, Maryland native won an eight round unanimous decision last year in Washington, DC.

“It’s going to be a great fight,” Jordan told Fightnews. “Once I get in there, I can’t tell you how it’s going to play out. I can tell you how I want it to play out. I want to win and I’ll take it however I can get it…When I get in there, I’ll feel the tension of the crowd and that will help me do my thing. I want to give my fans a great show.”

“This fight is everything to me,” continued Jordan. “This is my first chance to fight in the main event and get a belt at the Scope. My dad worked on the Scope so this is everything to me. It’s all or nothing for me. I’m to the point where if I don’t do what I have to do, I’ll go on The Contender and hang the gloves up. This is everything for me tomorrow.”

About the next 24-hours, Buchanan told Fightnews “I’m going to get some fluids back in my body, get something to eat and rest. Next, I’ll do some deep meditation, you know, me getting in touch with the Lord. I’m going to ask him for the specific blessing that I’m victorious tomorrow and that he strengthens me because I’ve depleted everything to try and get down to this weight. I just want to say that it’s going to be an entertaining fight no matter what. You know, I could be just coming out of the hospital and I’m still going to fight until I can’t fight anymore. I just want to make sure I do it in a smart manner, that’s all.”

“This is going to be one of the biggest ICB Knockout Series events ever,” promoter Jack Fulton told Fightnews following the weigh-in. The Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan fight against Bobby Jordan, Jr. is an incredible matchup. There is obviously a lot of drama right now. Buchanan did not make weight so we’ve renegotiated the terms. He’s going to weigh in again tomorrow but the fight is on regardless. We’re excited. We’re expecting a lot of drama and I would say somebody is going to get knocked out.”

Along with the two main events, seven other bouts are scheduled for the Aug. 14 event. Tickets, priced between $25 and $150, are available at The Scope box office and all Ticketmaster locations. Special military, student and group discounts are available. The first bout is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Log onto www.ICBKnockoutSeries.com for more information.

Eric Newell 255 vs. TBA
Joey Cusumano 219 vs. Marcus Patterson TBA
Dorsett Barnwell 237 vs. Wayne Gwynn TBA
Mardoette Oliver TBA vs. Philip Bernette 153
Frankie Filippone 167 vs. Brandon McGowan TBA
Cecil McCulla 149 vs. TBA
Stephan Alexanders 132 vs. TBA

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August 14th, 2010

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