Former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman will attempt a comeback this summer at the age of 53, in another sign that aging fighters competing in their 50s may soon become completely normal.

Rahman is scheduled to announce his return on July 14 in Rochester, Fresh York, as part of what promoters describe as his bid to become the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.

For many fans, the immediate reaction is obvious: what the hell?

However, World Boxing News asked this exact question fifteen years ago, when fighters competing in their 40s still felt unusual rather than expected.

Back in 2011, WBN examined whether boxing was heading towards an era in which fighters routinely competed well into their 40s and 50s, while legends such as Bernard Hopkins, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr. and James Toney continued to extend their careers.

It still seemed unusual to me at the time.

Now he barely raises his eyebrows.

Hasim Rahman at the age of 53

The signs were already there when George Foreman shocked boxing in 1994 by regaining the heavyweight title at the age of 45.

Since then, sports science, nutrition, recovery methods and state-of-the-art celebrity culture have completely changed the perception of aging.

Warriors don’t even look senior anymore in their 50s, while many of them barely look senior in their 60s.

Mike Tyson became the latest example when the former undisputed heavyweight champion returned against Jake Paul in 2024 and continued to show flashes of the timing, movement and presence that once made him the most feared fighter in the world.

Rahman now becomes the latest former heavyweight champion to try to turn back the clock.

But unlike many aging fighters, Rahman is not some forgotten name from boxing history.

He remains the man who caused one of the greatest upsets in history by knocking out Lennox Lewis in South Africa to win the world heavyweight title in 2001.

This moment alone guarantees curiosity about any comeback attempts, no matter how senior he is.

The return of the heavyweight division

The bigger question is whether boxing is quietly entering a whole recent age when it comes to age.

Fifteen years ago, athletes competing in their 50s were still shocking.

It almost seems normal to me now.

And with each aging former champion proving that they can still go a few rounds despite their older bodies, boxing is getting closer and closer to a reality where turning 50 doesn’t seem like it’s nearly over anymore.

This should probably worry people more than they already do.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

Canelo Alvarez has been a target of David Benavidez for several years, and Mikey Garcia revealed how he thinks the fight would go if it finally happened.

Benavidez won the WBC interim super middleweight title in May 2022, with fans demanding that Canelo give him an undisputed title shot as a result, to no avail.

After waiting patiently for two years, a frustrated Benavidez made the decision to move up to the airy heavyweight division. He became the world title holder at that weight the following year when he was elevated to the WBC world title.

Earlier this month, Benavidez rose again and sensationally dethroned Gilberto Ramirez to win the unified cruiserweight world titles and move up the rankings pound-for-pound. Although he has now clearly carved out his own path, the 29-year-old reiterated his interest in a long-awaited confrontation with Canelo, urging him to move up to 175 pounds – something he has already done twice in his career – for a shot at the WBC belt.

I’m talking to ESNEWSfour-division world champion Mikey Garcia described this proposed contest as “pointless”, believing that the only people who want to see the fight are those who want to witness Canelo “beat”.

“When they both weighed 168 pounds, [I would have liked to have seen that fight]. This makes no sense now. It’s almost like you just want to see Canelo get beat up because that’s what’s going to happen because Benavidez is so gigantic and robust and speedy now.

“I would like it to be a good fight at 168 pounds, but no more. Canelo was still at the top back then [as one of boxing’s best fighters]”

Canelo will return to the ring on Saturday, September 12attempting to reclaim the super middleweight throne by defeating newly crowned WBC champion Christian Mbilli. He said he will likely remain in the division until retirement, although he will move up to airy heavyweight for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, another fighter Benavidez is targeting.

Andy Cruz has another path to returning to the IBF lightweight title fight, but the price Matchroom Boxing paid to secure the fight spoke volumes about how little demand there was at the bidding table.

Matchroom won Tuesday’s bid for the IBF lightweight eliminator between Cruz (6-1, 3 KO) and Albert Bell with a modest winning bid of $298,000. Bell, who entered the fight ranked third in the IBF rankings, will receive a larger split of 60 percent, while fourth-ranked Cruz will receive 40 percent.

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Last updated: 27/05/2026 at 19:18