Rahman peaking, but flaws showing through
Sparring sessions are subjective.
How one looks at the subject depends much on what one is looking for.
On Tuesday, Dingaan Thobela didn't smell roses at heavyweight challenger Hasim Rahman's sparring session.
"He could just be winding down and just taking it easy," said "The Rose of Soweto" who, as a former two times world champion and boxing commentator, should know.
Rahman, having his first public workout at Carnival City's Big Top Arena - venue for his April 22 challenge for the WBC, IBF and IBO titles held by Lennox Lewis - is peaking. But he still has glaring flaws which raised fears among the appreciative crowd and could be exposed come fight night.
He is still open to a straight left - a jab as it is commonly called - just as he was from the time he started working out at Nick Durandt's central city gymnasium, and a reacts slowly to a second punch follow-up.
His handlers must have been embarrassed by two incidents. That was when Cisee Salis, shook him with a left uppercut - the same punch that Corrie Sanders nearly dropped him with before Rahman knocked him out in the seventh to claim the WBU championship - and when Rahman lost his balance from a left thrown after close exchanges.
Rahman's good points negated the bad, though. Besides showing the benefits of coming here early to acclimatise, he is putting more and better combinations together.
Breathing easier after each of the four minute six rounds sparring during which he and Salis only rested for half a minute in between the rounds, Rahman showed tigerish flashes. He pummelled the sides of Salis with left or right hooks - sometimes doubling his blows into uppercuts.
In round three he combined four jabs and an over-arm that drew appreciative "ohhhs!!!" from the fair crowd. He also forced Salis back with straight lefts and rights.
"The Rock's" jabs were aimed higher, at the head of Salis. Understandably so, because Lewis is taller and is expected to punch down at the slightly shorter challenger.
If one were to read the strategy of the challenger's camp, it seems they will try slowing down Lewis by pouncing his midriff. But the million dollar question is: "Will Rahman be able or allowed to get close to the champion?"
As Emmanuel Steward, the trainer of Lewis stated, the champion likes to keep hostilities at a distance by using his extra reach. But he can also close the gap as he wishes and wrestle his opponents to get them off rhythm.
Except for Muhammed Ali, heavyweights are not noted for fancy footwork. You wished for it on Tuesday.
Rahman didn't feel good - "I was a bit sluggish. What you see here is just 40 percent of what you are going to see on April 22," he said.