HBO Boxing PPV

Hasim Rahman vs. Oleg Maskaev

August 12, 2006

Thomas & Mack Center

Las Vegas, Nevada

9pm ET \ 6pm PT

On HBO PPV

Featured Bout:

WBC Heavyweight Title Bout

Champion Hasim Rahman (41-5-2, 33 KOs) vs. # 1 ranked Oleg Maskaev (32-5, 25 KOs)
 

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America's Only World Heavyweight Champion

Hasim Rahman In His Ultimate Challenge vs.

Oleg Maskaev Of Kazakhstan On Aug. 12!!!!

Las Vegas – America’s only world heavyweight champion, Baltimore-born Hasim Rahman, will defend his

world title for pride, honor and country when he takes on hard-punching No. 1-rated contender and

mandatory challenger Oleg Maskaev of Kazakhstan, at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, on

Saturday, August 12.

Rahman is the last remaining American to hold a world heavyweight title in a division dominated by natives

of the former Soviet Union.

“The Rock is America’s Last Line of Defense,” said Bob Arum of Top Rank. “He’s a great champion but he’s

in very tough against Maskaev.”

Rahman vs. Maskaev II is promoted by Top Rank in association with Dennis Rappaport Productions,

Caesars Palace and Wynn Las Vegas. Rahman vs. Maskaev II will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Tickets are $600, $400, $300, $200, $100, $50 and can be purchased at the Thomas and Mack box office,

online at www.unlvtickets.com or by calling (702) 739-FANS.

"Rahman-Maskaev II is a very intriguing heavyweight title fight," said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View.

"Rahman wants to defend his belt and avenge his 1999 loss to Maskaev, and Maskaev is just as determined

to win again."

Friends

In their previous bout in 1999, Maskaev rallied late and slammed Rahman with an overhand right which sent

him through the ropes head-first and onto the HBO announcing team table. It was a chilling, riveting finish

with Maskaev getting the stoppage in the eighth round.

That was seven years ago and Dennis Rappaport, the promoter of Maskaev, said “Oleg has had a lot of

peaks and valleys since that win over Rahman. But Oleg has battled back and he has earned his position

as the # 1 challenger.”

Maskaev grew up in Abai, Kazakhstan where he labored on a farm, worked in a coal mine, joined the

Russian Army, became a Lieutenant, joined the Russian Amateur Boxing Team, became a National

Champion and stopped Vitali Klitschko in one round.

At the age of 33, Hasim is an 11-year pro. A two-time heavyweight world champion, he defended the WBC

heavyweight world title in his last fight with a 12 round draw against former three-time world champion

James Toney on March 18.

After the fight, Hasim said, “The heavyweight division needed a good fight. I think we put on a good fight. He

can punch harder than a lot of heavyweights I’ve been in with. He’s brave, he’s got heart, he’s got speed,

power, he’s a force to be reckoned with. I ain’t ashamed to admit I learned a thing or two from James Toney

tonight. James proved he could stand up to a heavyweight power puncher. I earned some respect from

James, and he earned some respect from me.”

Hasim won the WBC interim heavyweight world title in August, 2005, with a 12-round unanimous decision

against Monte Barrett.

Hasim was first scheduled to challenge WBC world champion Vitali Klitschko on April 30 for the title, but

the fight was postponed and rescheduled twice - on June 18 and July 23 - due to injuries sustained by

Klitschko. The WBC authorized the fight for the interim title in Klitschko’s absence, with the condition that

Klitschko fight the winner in his next fight.

Hasim was again scheduled to fight Klitschko on November 12, but Klitschko was again injured in training

and retired. Having won the interim world title and the world title vacated, according to WBC rules, Hasim

became WBC heavyweight world champion. It was the same WBC rule that applied when Lennox Lewis

and Ken Norton became WBC heavyweight world champions after winning final world title eliminators.

The Rahman vs. Maskaev pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on August 12 has a

suggested retail price of $49.95, will be distributed domestically by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available

to more than 56 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in high-definition television for

those viewers who are HDTV capable. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to

the pay-per-view industry. Rahman vs. Maskaev daily updates can be found during fight week at

www.HBO.com.

For more information on Top Rank Inc., please visit: www.toprank.com.

- Press Release issued by Top Rank with a little editing from us (color, highlights, etc...)

Subject to change

(5/31/06)