New start for Hamza at McCracken’s gym

Raza Hamza with Spencer McCracken Snr (right) and Jnr

RAZA Hamza, still haunted by his disastrous bid to become British champ, is back with a new team and burning to prove wrong those who have written him off.

The Birmingham featherweight has a new manager in Spencer McCracken Snr, a new base – McCracken’s gym in his home city and will compete at a new weight.

Former top pro Spencer stressed the 32-year-old’s days at nine stone are over. He could even move up two weight divisions to lightweight.

The new chapter in gifted Hamza’s career begins at Birmingham Airport on August 24 – 12 months after his dreams of winning a Lonsdale Belt were shredded in 24 seconds. At York Hall, Bethnal Green, champ Nathaniel Collins KO’d Raza with one short, right hook.

Many believed, after 20 fights, that was Hamzah’s last hurrah. But Spencer stressed: “I think he can still compete, I think there is loads left in him.

“Raza got caught cold and I don’t think it helped getting down to the weight. He’s massive. I’ve told him, ‘you’ve outgrown that weight’.”

Hopefully, McCracken can bring stability to a career that once seemed destined for very big things.

All in the game agree Hamza has talent to burn, but he appeared destined to incinerate it through bouts of inactivity and a lack of meaningful tests. McCracken is the latest in a line of trainers who have attempted to bring out the best in Raza.

It has been a frustrating journey.

He turned pro back in 2015, ran up 18 wins, but it took seven years before he faced a truly demanding domestic opponent in former British title challenger James Beech. Hamza lost that one on points, but still got a shot at Collins’ crown and was blown away.

Those are the only two losses on his record.

Spencer said: “I think, if we do the weight right and stick to a programme, he can do something. He is talented, but he’s had a lot of inactivity, he needs to busy. We’ll get him out on August 24 – I don’t know the distance – and take it from there.”