By Mario Ortega Jr.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – After taking two different paths, two sons of former world heavyweight champions find themselves at the same doorstep to much bigger things with only each other standing in their way, as Kenzie Morrison takes on Hasim Rahman Jr. tonight at The Theater of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Morrison (19-0-2, 17 KOs) of Shawnee, Kansas by way of Miami, Oklahoma is the unmistakable son of the late Tommy “The Duke” Morrison. Unlike Rahman, Morrison did not come up through the amateur system, nor did he get the opportunity to take this career path with his famous dad by his side.
“I’ve just felt in the last five or so years now, with my trainer Kevin Whiteburn, I’ve stumbled into being undefeated and to really now be in position to be in focus and push for this real last hard push to hopefully fight for a world title,” explains Morrison. “That is the goal and I feel like I can do it.”
Rahman (12-0, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Baltimore, Maryland is a product in part of USA Boxing, having come up through the national amateur system. As a professional, it has been a slow burn for Rahman, a Las Vegas resident, now 30-years-old, just one-year younger than Morrison.
“For me, this fight is everything,” says Rahman, the son of Hasim Rahman. “The reason I came to [live in] Las Vegas was because of boxing, so my father could better his career and I just so happened to take up what my father did, following in his footsteps.”
With their Fite-televised ten-round bout being contested for the vacant WBC USNBC heavyweight title, the winner figures to gain a top fifteen world ranking and be in line for a major opportunity. Morrison weighed-in at 224.4-pounds, while Rahman scaled 224 even.
The pay-per-view card, dubbed “Sons of Legends,” features several other fighting sons of former world champions and contenders.
In the co-main event, Keith Hunter (14-1, 9 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on unbeaten Demarius Driver (12-0, 7 KOs) of Atlanta, Georgia in a ten-round light welterweight bout. Hunter, the son of late former heavyweight contender Mike “The Bounty” Hunter, scaled 134-pounds Thursday.
Driver, coming off a first-round stoppage victory on February 26th, came in at 140.8-pounds on his first attempt and was given an hour to lose two pounds.
Robert Duran Jr. (9-1, 7 KOs) of Plantation, Florida meets Arturo Moreno (5-0, 2 KOs) of Springfield, Missouri in a six-round welterweight contest. Duran, the son of hall of famer Roberto Duran, scaled 147.4-pounds. Moreno, coming off of a four-round decision just last month, weighed-in at 143.8.
Sharif Rahman (5-0, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Baltimore will take on Reyes Sanchez (7-1, 3 KOs) of Topeka, Kansas in a six-round light middleweight bout. Rahman, another of Hasim Rahman’s fighting sons, scaled 156-pounds, while Sanchez came in at 153.6. Sanchez, best known for earning an even scorecard in a majority decision loss to Nico Ali Walsh last December, marks a step-up in competition for Rahman.
The son of former super middleweight champion Gerald McClellan, Gerald McClellan Jr., will meet Demetrius Alexander (1-0, 1 KO) of Lincoln, Nebraska in a four-round cruiserweight bout. McClellan (1-0, 1 KO) of Beloit, Wisconsin weighed-in at 178.2-pounds, while Alexander scaled 183.2.
On the non-famous fighting family portion of the card, Shady Gamour (12-0, 9 KOS) of Pensacola, Florida by way of Broby, Scania, Sweden will meet Steven Pichardo (8-1-1, 2 KOs) of Gardena, California in a six-round middleweight bout. Gamour, taking the place of Quatavious Cash, scaled 160.2-pounds. Pichardo, taking a step-up in competition, weighed 159.8-pounds.
The son of two-time former cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham, Steve Cunningham Jr., was scheduled to make his professional debut in a four-round middleweight bout. However, according to Team Cunningham, 20 potential opponents failed to pass approval from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
WBC USNBC Heavyweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Morrison 224.4
Rahman Jr. 224
Light welterweights, 10 Rounds
Hunter 134
Driver 140.8*
Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Gamour 160.2
Pichardo 159.8
Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Duran Jr. 147.4
Moreno 143.8
Light middleweights, 6 Rounds
Rahman 156
Sanchez 153.6
Cruiserweights, 4 Rounds
McClellan Jr. 178.2
Alexander 183.2
*attempting to lose 2 pounds
Tickets for the event, promoted by Roy Jones Jr. Boxing and Ares Entertainment, are available online at AXS.com.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @MarioG280
