July 23, 2003|By Lem Satterfield | Lem Satterfield,SUN STAFF
Baltimore heavyweight Hasim Rahman said yesterday that he has a new trainer in Roger Mayweather and has purchased a home in Las Vegas, where he will live and train in an effort to regain the championship he lost to Lennox Lewis.
"I bought it last week, and I'm going to be moving there in late August and stay permanently until I win back the heavyweight title," said Rahman (35-4-1, 29 knockouts), whose wife and three children live in Fallston. "I can't keep cupcaking around, and there are a lot of little [distractions] in Baltimore that I have to get away from in order to stay focused 100 percent on my goal to win back the title."
Rahman, coming off a draw with David Tua that most experts thought he won, is the No. 1 contender for Lewis' World Boxing Council title. Rahman likely will have to wait in line as Lewis considers a rematch with Vitali Klitschko, a fight with World Boxing Association champion Roy Jones or retirement.
"I feel like I'm in great position," said Rahman, the only heavyweight contender with wins over two of the present champs. "Even though there's talk of Lewis retiring, if he does, then me and Klitschko might have to fight an elimination bout for the vacant title."
Although he is 0-2-1 in his past three bouts since knocking out Lewis in April 2001, Rahman has knocked out World Boxing Organization champ Corrie Sanders of South Africa, a recent knockout winner over highly touted Wladimir Klitschko, considered the better of the two Klitschko brothers.
