Hasim Rahman Jr plans to weigh 205lb on Friday in an attempt to prove Jake Paul should not have cancelled their fight.
Rahman Jr was set to face YouTube star Paul in his rival's sixth professional fight at Madison Square Garden on August 6. However the fight was called off after the YouTube star accused Rahman Jr of failing to cut to the agreed weight limit.
The weigh-in was set to take place this Friday with both fighters required to make a newly-agreed 205lb limit, which Paul claimed his rival had not attempted to make despite the prospect of heavy financial penalties. However Rahman Jr believes he was not given time to respond to Paul's deadline to confirm he was on track to make 205lb.
"We can fight at 205lb that is no problem to me, we can get it on," Rahman Jr said during a virtual press conference discussing the news of the cancellation. "I'm definitely highly interested in hurting this man and it would not be at a detriment to me to do it at 205lb. I am ready to do that I will make 205lb on Friday."
Rahman Jr later confirmed during a Twitter Spaces he hosted on his account that he plans to step on the scales on Friday to prove to his rival and the boxing world that he could make 205lb for the fight. Paul decided to pull the plug on the event, which has seen him lose out for the second time having already missed out on the opportunity to settle his rivalry with Tommy Fury.
Paul and Rahman Jr originally agreed to a weight limit of 200lb despite his rival having never fought below 211lb in his boxing career. The contract indicated Rahman Jr could weigh no more than 215lb on the morning of the fight, but he was allowed to come in at any weight by the time fight night came around.
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In a statement released by Paul's promotional label to confirm the news, it was claimed Rahman Jr had only lost a single pound since the fight was confirmed. "On Friday, Rahman submitted a weight check to the New York State Athletic Commission that demonstrated he had lost less than one pound since originally signing to take the fight 24 days prior," the statement read.
"This prompted the Commission to declare that it would not sanction the fight at less than 205lb. Still, Jake Paul was prepared to move forward with the fight at this new weight and a new contract was sent to Rahman's promoter reflecting a 205lb. limit, imposing strict penalties should he fail to make weight.
"Upon receiving this new contract Saturday morning, Rahman's camp indicated for the very first time that he planned to weigh 215lb at the official weigh-in and would not agree to weigh in at 205lb and informing Most Valuable Promotions that they are pulling out of the fight unless the fight was agreed to at 215lb."
