Hamzah Shiraz: British WBO super middleweight world champion Eden Hazard uses inspiration

There was one particular moment that sparked Hamzah Shiraz’s boxing career into life.

As an apprentice electrician who drifted away from the game after being eliminated from the Commonwealth Youth Championship, Brit Shiraz found himself fixing bulbs and sockets in former Chelsea winger Eden Hazard’s apartment.

Standing in the middle of posh London housing and feeling inspired, Shiraz, 27, returned to the gym within two weeks and signed on with Frank Warren’s Queensberry on his 18th birthday.

After winning WBO super-middleweight title in MayShiraz prepares for first defense against Simon Zachenhuber Anthony Joshua undercard in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

But first, Shiraz recalls a lightbulb moment a decade ago.

“I was working in Eden Hazard’s apartment fixing his bulbs and sockets and my ego or goals and aspirations kicked in, so I went back to the gym,” Shiraz told BBC Sport.

“Nothing was lined up for me. I didn’t have such a good amateur career and it was about to start. I just wanted to get back in the gym and see what happened.

“After two weeks, I was asked to be a sparring partner for some pros at the time and I did well. I hung in there and they asked me to go to Spain to do some camps with them.

“They signed Frank Warren at the time and by word of mouth, they trusted my coach at the time, Dominic Negus, to sign Frank.

“I didn’t meet him for the first two or three years. I remember when I first met him, I thought it was crazy. Here we are today.”