Sharif Rahman signs with BKB for bare knuckle boxing debut

Sharif Rahman has signed a promotional deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing to make his debut in the sport. The fighter enters this new discipline with an undefeated professional record of nine wins from nine bouts.

Sharif Rahman is the son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman. The elder Rahman is known for his victory over Lennox Lewis, who retired with a record of 50 wins from 62 fights after having previously lost to Rahman in 2001. While Hasim Rahman Jr has competed in 17 professional fights and was once scheduled to face Jake Paul, Sharif now seeks to establish his own presence in the ring.

Sharif Rahman stated that he has carried his family name throughout his career without suffering a loss. He noted that moving to bare knuckle boxing represents a new challenge that requires pure skill and heart because there are no gloves used in the competition. He intends to use his undefeated status to prove his standing within the BKB ranks.

By joining BKB, Rahman joins a roster that includes recent signings such as Lee Selby, JoJo Diaz, and Victor Ortiz.

Historically, the heavyweight division has been defined by legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Muhammad Ali. Among those figures, Lennox Lewis was the only one to retire having defeated every opponent he faced, though he did suffer two defeats during his career. One of those losses occurred in 2001 when Hasim Rahman knocked him out within five rounds to secure the IBF and WBC heavyweight titles.

Sharif Rahman now looks to build upon this family history as he transitions into the bare knuckle arena. He aims to test his abilities in an environment where the absence of gloves removes any excuses for performance.