Boxing fans are always keen for the heavyweight elite to fight one another, but in the eyes of two-time divisional ruler Hasim Rahman, two former champions’ willingness to fight proved consequential to both. 

Rahman famously dethroned Lennox Lewis to claim the WBC, IBF and lineal title in a shock knockout win back in 2001, but he was stopped himself in their rematch just seven months on, finding himself on the wrong side of one of boxing’s most devastating KO’s.

Although, he returned to the throne five years later, elevated to world champion after winning the vacant WBC interim strap against Monte Barrett, later losing the full title to Oleg Maskaev.

Speaking with Sean Zittel, Rahman highlighted the decline of a fellow two-time heavyweight world champion, believing that Tyson Fury’s iconic trilogy with Deontay Wilder had a severe impact on the careers of both combatants.

“Absolutely, [Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury ruined each other]. The amount of shots that they both gave and received was so damaging to their career. I think that they beat their careers out of each other, in my opinion. 

“I don’t think that either one of them would be the same and I think, had they never fought each other, but of them would still be reigning, and at a much higher level, right now.”

Fury and Wilder met on three occasions between 2018 and 2021, with the first bout ending in a draw while Fury claimed two stoppage wins in the fights that followed, with a total of nine knockdowns dished out between the duo.

Wilder has suffered two further defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang since the trilogy, but did claim a victory over Derek Chisora in April, while Fury lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, perhaps adding credence to Rahman’s claim.

Fury will return to action in less than two weeks as he fights for the second time this year in an unconventional low-profile scrap with Mariusz Wach at the Max Muaythai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand.