Bloodline: 10 current pros inspired by their father to take up boxing
1) Tim Tszyu
Tim Tszyu is unblemished in 24 pro fights and the current WBO super-welterweight champion. He is also the son of Kostya, a hard-hitting former junior-welterweight world champion famous for knocking out Zab Judah in two rounds in 2001.
2) Chris Eubank Jnr
As divisive as his father, Chris Eubank Jnr, a former British middleweight champion, has achieved plenty in his 36-fight pro career and remains on the hunt for one of the major world titles. His father never won a British title but did defend the WBO super-middleweight title 14 times.
Chris Eubank Jnr (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
3) Tyson Fury
Long before Tyson Fury defeated Wladimir Klitschko to win the world heavyweight title in 2015, Tyson’s father, John, was making a living as a pro heavyweight and boxing the likes of Henry Akinwande and Michael Murray.
John and Tyson Fury
4) Conor Benn
A controversial figure in the sport due to some recent performance-enhancing drug issues, Conor Benn is nevertheless unbeaten in 23 pro fights. Still learning, he knows he has a way to go to replicate the success of Nigel, who thrilled the boxing world during world title reigns at both middleweight and super-middleweight.
Conor Benn (James Chance/Getty Images)
5) Shane Mosley Jr
Shane Mosley left his mark on the boxing world as a champion at lightweight, welterweight and super-welterweight, while his son, Shane Jnr, is 21-4 as a pro and was a finalist in the 2018 season of The Contender.
Sugar Shane Mosley poses with his son Shane and father/trainer Jack (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)
6) Emiliano Vargas
Unbeaten in eight pro fights, Emiliano Vargas is an aggressive puncher who looks for the finish from the word go. He also happens to be the son of former two-time junior-middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, someone who won his first world title at the tender age of 21.
Emiliano Vargas (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
7) Evan Holyfield
A super-welterweight with an 11-1 pro record, Evan Holyfield is the son of former world heavyweight champion Evander and goes by the nickname “Yung Holy”. After making his pro debut at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, he has predominantly fought fellow novices and suffered his only loss in 2022.
Evander Holyfield (Elsa Hasch /Allsport)
8) Campbell Hatton
Although he recently suffered his first pro defeat, Campbell Hatton has still managed to win 14 of 15 fights as a pro and continues to very much learn on the job. His father, Ricky, meanwhile, was a world champion at light-welterweight and welterweight and one of Britain’s greatest fighters.
Ricky Hatton with his son, Campbell (Mark Robinson)
9) Aadam Hamed
Aadam Hamed made his professional debut in Poland last August and received plenty of promotion and hype ahead of it on account of his famous surname. His father, Naseem, was once the best featherweight in the world and arguably the hardest puncher the nine-stone division has ever seen.
Naseem Hamed with his son, Aadam
10) Robert Guerrero III
A new face in the sport, Robert Guerrero III made his professional debut earlier this month in Tijuana, Mexico. Going by the nickname “El Pistolero”, he is the son of Robert Guerrero, a world champion at both featherweight and super-featherweight.
Robert Guerrero (Mario Serrano/Team Guerrero)
