“My dad set the bar, so now I want to do what he did and set the bar even higher than him and then my brother’s coming after me, he’s going to set it higher than me… We’re trying to be the greatest family to leave a legacy in boxing.”
There’s always an increased element of intrigue and excitement when the son of a legendary fighter enters the sport. A chance to reminisce on the past glory days and a sentimental feeling of hope that one day they can emulate their fathers’ achievements.
Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell drew huge attention when he signed a promotional contract with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in December.
Ricky’s popularity soared during his heyday and reached its peak when he drew thousands of Brits to Las Vegas for his clashes with Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquaio. Hasim Rahman Jr is in a similar situation.
Rahman Jr’s father and namesake, Hasim Rahman fought all the greats of his era and beyond including Evander Holyfield, James Toney, David Tua, Wladimir Klitschko and most famously of all, Lennox Lewis, who he stunned to become unified Heavyweight world champion in Brakpan, South Africa in 2001, before losing the immediate rematch at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas later that year
That first fight alone has etched the now retired former two-time title holder into the history books and is a legacy his son Hasim, who is also a Heavyweight, is now chasing for himself and two younger brothers, Sharif, also a professional and his other younger brother, who is in the amateurs.
“When I decided to start and take it seriously was the night he lost to Oleg Maskaev and that one, it home, because we relocated to Las Vegas and he lost the Heavyweight championship of the world in the 12th round by knockout to a guy he already had a knockout loss to.
“I already loved boxing then, but I felt like it was my duty after that. I was 14-years-old and shortly after that fight I was linked up with Emanuel Steward and that’s how this whole journey began and here we are today 10-0, still climbing.
“People don’t understand that WBC world Heavyweight title was downstairs in my living room, that’s home. That’s like somebody taking something out of your house and leaving with it. No, that belt belongs home.”
Rahman Jr (10-0, 5 KOs) was surrounded by talent at a young age, with his dad presenting him with the opportunity to head out to Detroit to train in the world-renowned, Kronk Gym alongside the late, great Emanuel Steward and former Middleweight world champion, Andy Lee.
Hasim credits the Kronk team for teaching him the sport and enabling him to develop a versatile style.
“He [Emanuel] taught me how to box.
“My dad would never let me box until I decided to leave all the other sports alone and just take boxing serious and that was my last football season, my freshman year at high school and I never went back and did anything too serious to put my body at risk, I’ve always been boxing ever since.
Rahman Jr was originally guided by Andy Lee and the late, great Emanuel Steward
“When I was in Detroit, I was training with Emanuel during the day and then during the night he would put me with Andy Lee and I would be going through stuff with Andy Lee and that’s how Emanuel had me learn both ways.
“So I can fight Orthodox and I can fight Southpaw. Everything he would teach me during the day would be Orthodox, then I would go at night and work on Southpaw things with Andy Lee.
“Andy Lee is now a great coach, he’s a great teacher, I still use the things he taught me as a 14-year-old kid, I still use them to this day.
“I still hear the things replaying in my mind when I’m in fights, that was my groundwork, so I have to attribute a whole lot to Andy Lee and Emanuel Steward, they really did their thing when they taught me the foundations of boxing.”
