Rahman, Toney set for title bout

New York:

Hasim Rahman and James Toney met the press on Tuesday at the Tavern on the Green Restaurant in New York City to officially announce their March 18 heavyweight title fight at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Rahman, 41-5-1 with 33 knockouts, won the interim WBC Heavyweight title last August in a 12-round unanimous decision over Monte Barrett. When reigning WBC Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko cancelled a November fight with Rahman, and subsequently retired, the 32-year-old Rahman became champion. The challenger, 37-year-old James Toney, 69-4-2, is undefeated in his last 16 fights, dating back to 1997. Toney won the WBA heavyweight world title in April, 2005, with a 12-round decision against defending champion Johnny Ruiz, but saw his title stripped upon testing positive for the steroid nandrolone in the post-fight drug test. His last fight was a 12-round decision against Dominick Guinn last November. The Tuesday press conference was the first time the two fighters met since a brawl they engaged in last month at the WBC "Crowning of the Champions" event in Cancun, Mexico. (AP)