When Lennox Lewis' right hand separated Hasim Rahman from the world heavyweight championship last November, it may have done more than make "The Rock" an ex-champion. It may have also knocked some sense into a confused fighter in need of some focus.

Rahman, 29, who faces Evander Holyfield on June 1st in Atlantic City, seems more confident with himself now, while at the same time, appearing relaxed.

"It's similar to the camp before the first fight with Lennox," said Rahman, 35-3 with 29 KOs. "Everything's going smooth, the days are going by quick, the work has been excellent, and it's like the whole team has one mission."

The humbling loss to Lewis may be one reason for this rebirth, but more likely, it's the presence of new trainer Bouie Fisher in camp. Either way, Rahman knows what it's going to take to beat the "Real Deal".

"Plenty of heart and plenty of smarts," said Rahman during a teleconference Tuesday to promote his upcoming bout.

Heart has never been in question for the Baltimore native. If anything, Rahman's chin, which has been dented by Lewis, David Tua, and Oleg Maskaev, has been his Achilles heel. On November 17, though, Rahman's smarts have to be called into question.

As the newly crowned heavyweight champion, Rahman, perhaps unwisely, left his network options open before the Lewis rematch, a risky move, especially when a guaranteed HBO deal was on the table. "I wouldn't change anything," said Rahman. "I took a chance and rolled the dice. With the victory, I'd be looking like a genius. I believed I could beat Lennox Lewis, and if I had won, it would have been a beautiful deal for me. But I lost."

Rahman lost, but it may have been a different story if his head was on right, and if he had any sort of relationship with his soon to be dumped trainer, Adrian Davis.

"Four, five weeks before the fight, we weren't even speaking," said Rahman of Davis. "Adrian was paid before the fight, and I told my managers that I didn't even want him in the corner. Somehow they convinced me to keep him in the corner, and we just weren't with it. The chemistry wasn't there, and the conversation wasn't there. If you noticed, I'm getting ready to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and I was in the back by myself at a precious time before the fight, while Adrian was working my stablemate (William Joppy)'s fight. That simply shouldn't have happened. But ultimately it was my fault. If I really felt that strongly about it, I should have done something about it."

Walking into the biggest fight of his life with basically no trainer, and enough turmoil to sink a ship, Rahman came out looking to land the same right hand that won him the title in April of 2002. It didn't happen, and Rahman was sent packing in four rounds.

"I went in with no game plan," said Rahman. "I really wasn't thinking. I figured that whenever I caught him, it would be over with. I simply didn't have a plan and got exposed. He had a plan, stuck to it, and did really well. The cliché is that a man with half a plan is better than a man with no plan at all. And I was that man with no plan at all. I really can't digest that. I have to go out there and right that."

He began his road to righteousness almost immediately, dumping Davis and bringing in Fisher, who is best known for the role he played in bringing Bernard Hopkins to prominence. The two hit it off immediately, but Fisher is not using kid gloves on his latest charge.

"You ever see the movie Alcatraz?" asked Rahman. "That's how it (training camp) has been, a prison."

"The man is working me hard," continues Rahman. "He changed my diet, and I'm being taught now. I ain't running my own camp anymore. I always paid trainers, but I pretty much had the last say so. But now I'm with a no-nonsense teacher. I'm in there with a cagey veteran who really knows the game, who probably would be a Harvard professor if this was education. In the short time we've been together, it seems like we've been together my whole career. Everything is coming together and I feel like I'm going to end my career with Bouie Fisher."

And forget taking on some powder puffs to get his confidence back. Rahman is stepping back into the fire against Holyfield. The winner will be guaranteed the IBF's number two spot.

"I feel like I'm in an excellent position," said Rahman. "My destiny is in my hands."

And while Holyfield is seen by many as being on the downside of a brilliant career, Rahman is taking no chances on counting the "Real Deal" out. "I'm gonna stay away from counting him out," he said. "I'm gonna count him in. He's definitely slowed down a bit. His legs are not what they were in 1992 or 93. But he's still a dangerous fighter, an excellent counterpuncher, so I still have a lot of things to worry about from a 39-year-old Evander Holyfield. I think that he can beat a lot of heavyweights out there and I think that's what motivates him. Maybe he can't beat the best, but he can beat a lot of these other guys."

"I have nothing but respect for him," Rahman continues. "He's probably the greatest fighter in this era. What can you say about him? Every time you count him out, he comes right back. If Evander can't make it in the Hall of Fame for what he did in his career thus far then no fighter deserves to be in there. I don't think this fight will do anything to enhance or take away what his legacy is thus far."

Rahman's legacy may be as a "one-hit wonder" if he can't get back into the championship mix with a win over Holyfield. It's the harsh nature of the fight game, but Rahman has the right attitude about what he needs to do to get into the good graces of the history books.

"I believe I'm capable of being heavyweight champion again," said Rahman. "I don't think I fought at all in my last fight. I'm very disappointed in that performance and I've got a lot to prove. If I can't win this fight I don't feel like I can be heavyweight champion of the world again. I'm not looking just to win this fight; I'm looking to win impressively. I believe that if I walk away with a sensational victory, the public might want to see Rahman-Lewis III or Rahman-Tyson I."

It's no surprise that if Rahman had his choice, his next bout would be a third meeting with Lewis. "If I feel like you did something to me or took something from me, I just ain't gonna rest until I get you back," said Rahman. "That's why Lennox Lewis is on my mind. I have to win this fight to really be able to get him back."

But then again, says "The Rock", "If Lennox gets beat, I would much rather get the person who got him."

He won't be getting Tyson or Lewis if he loses to Holyfield on June 1st. In fact, Rahman has hinted at retirement if he loses. "I really don't see me being anybody's opponent," he said. "I'm not interested in doing that."

It's a heavy pressure to put on oneself, yet Rahman seems up to the task. He's been to the heights and the depths of the heavyweight division, and lived to tell about it. And if the past is any indication, he's not done yet.

"I'm doing everything totally different," said Rahman. "I'm focusing completely on this fight. This fight means everything to me. I'm mentally strong enough to deal with it (losing), and I can look at the way champions before me bounced back. Even Lennox Lewis bounced back from an emphatic knockout and won his title back. I already know it's been done. Now it's just up to me to do it."