It's not so much that Hasim Rahman was totally ripped off against David Tua on Saturday night. I had the fight eight rounds to four for Rahman. The fight was ruled a draw, but I have seen worse decisions. It's just that when you hear Rahman talk about the injustices he has experienced in his career, you can't help but to feel for the guy. Be a little empathetic, you'll see what I mean.

Imagine you are Hasim Rahman. Humor me for a moment. Really put yourself in his shoes.

You are an undefeated heavyweight contender, 29-0, when you first fight David Tua. By this time you have already beaten Ross Puritty, who will go on to knock out Wladimir Klitschko. You have already beaten Obed Sullivan, who was a talented prospect. Still, Tua himself has only lost once, in a close war on points to perhaps the best heavyweight in the world, Ike Ibeabuchi. So Tua is favored to beat you.

But once the bell rings, you box circles around Tua. You pitch a virtual shutout until he hits you with a left hook -- clearly after the bell to end the ninth round. Since the punch is a foul, the referee is supposed to give you up to five minutes to recover, but he does not. You come out the next round dazed, but still fighting back. Your back is on the ropes, but you are avoiding most of Tua's bombs. You are coherent and willing to continue when the ref ends the fight and declares Tua the knockout winner.

You then suffer a setback in a loss to another streaking heavyweight, Oleg Maskaev, in a back-and-forth brawl. Maskaev scores the biggest win of his career when he knocks you clear out of the ring. But, you know, stuff like that happens in the heavyweight division.

Your next big fight comes against Corrie Sanders, another future Wladimir Klitschko conqueror. Sanders is a better puncher even than Maskaev -- big, fast hands and a southpaw. In a fight-of-the-year type affair, you rise from the canvas twice and knock Sanders out. As a result of this win, you get a title shot against the champ, Lennox Lewis.

You knock Lewis out and win the title. You are the heavyweight champion of the world. There is an immediate rematch and Lennox knocks you out to return the favor. But hey -- two fights with the division's top dog, and you went 1-1. No more small fights for you. Your very next bout is against Evander Holyfield.

As he did against Lewis and Mike Tyson, Holyfield wields that shiny dome of his like a club. He eventually nails you with it and causes a grotesque swelling on your forehead. After a little while they stop the fight. Evander is ahead on the scorecards, so he is declared the winner.

You take some time off and come back against Tua in a rematch.

Revenge. You get it. You even return the after-the-bell favor in the final round. Your final punch knocks Tua off his feet for the first time in his professional career. You know you won at least 8 of the 12 rounds, but they call the fight a draw.

So you are Hasim Rahman. Except for one loss to a good contender in Maskaev, here is how you see your resume: