Feared teen streetfighter-turned-boxer Nader Hamdan is now in his son’s corner

Boxing in general, and Jeff Fenech in particular, helped turn Nader Hamdan from feared teen streetfighter to successful boxer. Now he is in his son’s corner.

Nader Hamdan failed in a title bid when he took on Anthony Mundine at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in 2008.

Nader Hamdan was an angry, malicious, violent teenager who rode trains with his gang from Marrickville in search of someone, anyone, to bash.

Champion boxer Jeff Fenech, who grew up on the same tough streets, recalls Hamdan being one of the most feared teens around.

“I was tough. This kid he was a million times different to me. He was pretty feared, not scared of nothing,” Fenech told The Sunday Telegraph.

“There was all this hype that he wanted to box. Anyone can punch someone in the street with 10 mates around. He was the toughest guy out there but there is a huge difference when you’re in the ring all alone.”

Fenech watched on as Hamdan learned to channel his range and fury and master the art of boxing.

Nader Hamdan can look back on his tough childhood. Picture: John Grainger

“He persevered, he wanted it really bad,” Fenech said.

“He trained, listened and trained, and trained and trained, and slowly developed the skill of boxing instead of street fighting.”

Hamdan, who spent three years in juvenile detention after he hammered dozens of people for no reason, then punched a police officer in the face and grabbed his gun ­during a scuffle while he was on bail, credits Fenech’s autobiography with giving him the will to make something of his life.

He didn’t care that people sniggered and thought he was all talk, he focused on following in the champ’s footsteps.

Nader Hamdan in juvenile detention.

“When I got out everyone came at me, a lot of old friends wanted me to do stuff, do runs, drugs, things that would make me a lot of money but I said no,” Hamdan said.

“I said ‘no’, and I said ‘where were you guys the last three years?’ A lot of guys don’t know how to say no. But you’ve got to believe in yourself, don’t be puppets, be leaders ourselves.

“I had my dream and wanted to do what I talked about. I told them all ‘you’re gonna watch me on TV’. You hear it all the time, 90 per cent of people in juvie go to jail, but I wasn’t. I said ‘You’re all gonna watch me fight everyone, fight everywhere, I’m gonna be a world champion and you’re gonna still be here doing your little shitty job’.”

Former world champ Jeff Fenech (left) is now in the corner for Hass Hamdan. Picture: Matt Roberts/mattrimages.com.au/No Limit Boxing

Skip forward a generation and Hamdan and his good mate Fenech share the corner when the newest champ, Hass Hamdan, enters the ring.

Trained by Fenech, Hamdan Jnr has just won an Australian title when he competed on the Tim Tszyu card in the Gold Coast last month.

“All my boys played soccer growing up, but then Hass told me he wanted to fight when he was 19 or 20,” Hamdan said.

“Fighting was my way to get out of jail, I was doing it to move forward. He needed to stay in football.

Nader Hamdan with his son, Hass, who wan an Australian title on the Gold Coast last month. Picture: Matt Roberts/mattrimages.com.au/No Limit Boxing

“I thought what the hell is going on here. He’s been training hard, going pretty well, he’s committed, he’s a good boy.”

Fenech concurs, saying Hamdan’s relationship with his son is a key ingredient in the young fighter’s rise.

“For me, I was scared of my dad. My dad was the boss. With Nader it’s not scared, his boys respect him, know what he has been through and what he is telling them gets them on the right path,” Fenech said.

“He has a remarkable life story. He’s someone who has changed their whole life and is trying to change others which, for me, makes me proud of him. It’s so humbling.

“I really love what I see that has become of one of the baddest kids in Marrickville.”

Listen to I Catch Killers with Gary Jubelin where he interviews Nader Hamden on his road to redemption on the Crime X channel