Boxing: Former world champ visits

Former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman (left) shows off his skills at the RotoVegas Boxing Gym yesterday. Also pictured is local dad David Wall. Photo/Ben Fraser

Former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman has pulled on a pair of boxing gloves at RotoVegas Boxing Gym to share some tips with young boxers.

Rahman, who defeated Britain's Lennox Lewis in 2001 to claim the unified WBC, IBF and IBO heavyweight crowns, visited Rotorua yesterday as part of a nationwide tour.

The 41-year-old is visiting New Zealand to promote the Super Eight boxing event in Auckland in June, where he will fight alongside seven other top boxers in three-round elimination fights.

During his time in Rotorua yesterday, Rahman handed out awards to young boxers from Kaingaroa Forest School before pulling on some gloves at RotoVegas Boxing Gym.

He said he enjoyed his time at the gym and it reminded him of the grassroots boxing culture he grew up in.

"That's what I know. That is how I came up," he said.

"I would have loved for a champion to have come to my school and said something to us, that would have been life-changing for us."

He said he liked the people in New Zealand and had even decided to come back one month before the June event to train in Auckland.

Rahman said he did a similar thing in South Africa before he won the world title and wanted to replicate that success.

Rahman has been out of the ring for 18 months and said the Super Eight format had inspired him to get back in the ring.

"I'm inspired for this," he said. "I get a chance to get three victories in one night, that is unprecedented for me. I have never done that, I can knock out three guys in one night."

Rahman is perhaps best known in New Zealand for his two bouts with David Tua, which ended in a Tua victory and a draw. Despite his connection with the country, he had not visited New Zealand previously.

Rahman was the fifth fighter confirmed for the June 4 event in West Auckland that is being promoted by Sky TV for their Arena pay-per-view channel.

He joins former WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (Nigeria), Australian-based Kiwi Kali Meehan, Ireland's Martin Rogan and England's Michael Sprott.