Former champ will fight Klitschko next month. Ex-heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman has agreed to step in as Wladimir Klitschko’s opponent after Alexander Povetkin tore a foot ligament. The Dec. 13 bout will afford Rahman a seven-figure paycheck. “We’re very excited about the fight,” says his manager Steve Nelson. “It’s a super opportunity for Rock to become a three-time champion. We know we’re up against the odds.” Rahman last fought James Toney in a bout that ended after an accidental head butt.

Stephon Marbury’s shaky relationship with his NBA team continues, despite new coaching. The Knicks guard, who clashed with ex-coach Isiah Thomas last season, hasn’t played in three games and isn’t even on the team’s active list. Coach Mike D’Antoni reportedly wants to waive Marbury, who recovered from surgery last season and was eager to take the court. “We may be engaging the team in trying to see if there’s some kind of mutually beneficial position that the parties can arrive at,” Billy Hunter, who heads the NBA players union, tells Bloomberg News. Marbury reportedly met with Knicks president Donnie Walsh this week, with no resolution.

TAGS: boxing, Hasim Rahman, knicks, Stephon Marbury, Wladimir Klitschko

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