Court orders Rahman to fight Lewis first

World heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman is prohibited from fighting anyone else for the next 18 months unless he gives former title holder Lennox Lewis an immediate rematch, a U.S. District Court judge ruled on Thursday.

Judge Miriam Cedarbaum found that Rahman, who knocked out Lewis on April 22 to win the WBC and IBF world heavyweight titles, breached a contract he had signed to give the Briton a rematch within 120 days of their first fight in South Africa.

By signing a deal with promoter Don King in May to fight Nigerian David Izon in China on August 4, Rahman, 28, has breached the contract he signed with Lewis, said Cedarbaum.

She added that the American could have fought an interim fight within the time allowed, but that when he did not the original contract was "binding and enforceable".

Referring to arguments that Lewis would be irreparably harmed by not having an immediate rematch, Cedarbaum said there was "credible evidence" that Lewis would not be able to fight beyond the next two years.

She was referring to testimony that a boxer has a finite physical peak and that the 35-year-old was not planning to fight beyond the next two years.

"Lennox Lewis has only two more years to fight. He is not in position to go on indefinitely," said Cedarbaum.

"Since Mr Lewis can't fight Mr Rahman beyond the next two years, Mr Rahman is enjoined for the next 18 months from fighting anyone else until he fights a rematch with Mr Lewis," she said.

She added that "I would expect all parties to negotiate in good faith," for the terms of the rematch.

Cedarbaum often interrupted King's lawyer Peter Fleming, peppering him with questions and repeatedly asking him for his point in his arguments to uphold Rahman's contract with King.

At one stage she said Fleming's arguments were "very, very circular".

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Pat English, a lawyer for Lewis's U.S. promoter Main Events, said a Rahman-Lewis fight could take place in August but that "September would be better" as far as marketing the bout was concerned.

Rahman's deal with King was for a package of fights worth more than $20 million.

Immediately after the court decision, a disappointed Rahman said that he had no comment. But later, outside the court house, he shrugged and said: "If I don't get the purse I want, I won't fight."

King said he had "no comment".

Lewis, in a statement released by Main Events, said: "I'm very pleased and gratified. I look forward to regaining my titles."

English added that the decision "sends a strong signal that the rampant disregard of contract rights in boxing must stop".

Lewis's lawyer, Judd Burstein, said after the ruling that the British fighter's "rights have been respected by the court. What took place here," seemingly referring to Rahman's bid to negate the rematch clause, "is an outrage and it's nice to see justice has been done".

Shortly after he won the titles, Rahman had cable broadcasters HBO and Showtime bidding against each other to sign him to multi-fight deals worth upwards of $17 million.

With the court ordering him to fight Lewis before anyone else, the American will not be able to as easily pit the two companies against each other and is unlikely to command the payday he had expected.

King had given Rahman about $5 million as a bonus for signing with him. Lawyers involved in the case said it wasn't clear whether Rahman would have to return the money.

Cedarbaum did not rule on promoter Cedric Kushner's lawsuit aimed at keeping Rahman under contract to him.

Rahman and King contend that Kushner's contract had expired when King signed the fighter. There was much wrangling about when the contract was due to run out, including whether Rahman's back surgery and other injuries should count towards extending the agreement.

One person close to Kushner said he was optimistic that Cedarbaum would rule in the promoter's favour.