Naseem Hamed has vowed to remain in the background of his son Aadam’s career because he neither wants to “babysit” nor cast a shadow over him.
The 23 year old Aadam Hamed will fight for the first time on August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland, on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s fight with Daniel Dubois.
Hamed Jr recognises the pressure he is immediately under through following in the footsteps of one of Britain’s finest ever fighters. He regardless, as with Nigel Benn’s son Conor and Chris Eubank’s son Chris Jr, can also benefit because the association means his profile being enhanced.
Naseem Hamed, like Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, was among Britain’s leading and highest-profile fighters of the 1990s. He has since seen one play a notable, and often hands-on, role in son’s career, and the other one largely support his son from afar.
Ricky Hatton is another to recognise the potential value of not being too heavily involved in his son Campbell’s career despite becoming a professional trainer and his profile surpassing even Naseem Hamed’s. The latter’s other son Sami is also planning on turning professional, and the 49 year old said: “I intend to let my son do what he needs to do.
“I don’t want to get caught up and walking out in his ringwalks. He will be a star in his own making, he won’t need his dad and he won’t be in my shadow either. The only reason I’m here is that they asked. I don’t want to be caught up in babysitting. He’s 23 years old; it’s my favourite number.
“He’s ready. I’m there for him as a father, every now and again. I hardly ever go watch him train; I’ve not been involved in his training; I’ve let him get on with it. When the time is right, I’ll speak to him about the mental stuff to pass on to him. He is going to need to know the thought process of a world champ. He’s grown up around this whole thing of confidence, it’s nothing new for him.
“Am I going to be like Chris Eubank Sr? I like the way Nigel Benn has done it. He’s let his son just get on with it. I want to just get on with it. I’ll play a huge role in background of securing his career and overlooking it. He’s confident.”
Hamed Jr – whose father once predicted he would win Wimbledon – is to be trained by Spencer McCracken Sr in Birmingham having relocated from Virginia Water in Surrey. McCracken Sr, perhaps appropriately, is being assisted in doing so by Spencer McCracken Jr, his son.
“We’ve seen Chris Eubank’s son, we’ve seen Nigel Benn’s son, we’ve seen Ricky Hatton’s son, now you’re going to see my son,” continued the former IBF, WBO and WBC featherweight champion. “Listen, you guys decide.
“You have a look and say what you see and we will see who drops it like it is hot; who has that flavour; who has that style; who has that flair; let’s just see. I’m telling you this kid will be a breath of fresh air in this sport. When people see him, he’s going to make a lot of eyes feel comfortable just like I did.”
