I’m warming up for Uche in the boxing ring with Callum
World champ cousin builds up Hunt
JOHNNY HUNT is fired up for round two with Hearts heavyweight Uche Ikpeazu thanks to regular sparring sessions with his cousin – world champion boxer Callum Smith.
The Hamilton midfielder was left with a bloody nose when he last crossed paths with the Jambos battering ram in the English lower leagues.
And although Ikpeazu towers over him, Hunt has a more than handy corner man in his WBA supermiddleweight champion relative.
The duo came through school together back in Liverpool and remain the best of pals as each other’s No.1 fan.
Hunt has sparred with Smith and his three brothers – who are also boxers – throughout his career.
And he reckons it has him fighting fit for the relegation scrap with Hearts this afternoon – with both sides locked on 12 points at the bottom of the table.
Ikpeazu is available for Daniel Stendel’s side again after being suspended for Wednesday’s defeat to champions Celtic.
And Hunt said: “I played against Uche a few times when I was at Mansfield and he was at Cambridge. He’s a big, strong lad.
“He did me in one game – an elbow right on the nose. I bet he can’t remember it but I certainly do!
“It wasn’t broken. There was a bit of blood at the end of the game but that’s all.
“But he is a good, big player and Hearts are a good team. Their league position is only a league position for now and we know on their day, they’re a very good side.”
Hunt has no problems with being dubbed a fighter on the park. It runs in his blood.
Smith has a 100 per cent record from his 27 professional fights, leading to him being ranked as the world’s best active super middleweight in October.
A potential bout with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has been mooted and a dream fight at Anfield is in the pipeline for next year.
Hunt, a summer signing from Stevenage, said: “I try to bring my fighting spirit to the team and to the young lads.
“My cousins are all boxers. I grew up with them all. I’m proud of what they’ve done. I’ve spent my whole life following them and training with them. They’ve been through the highs and the lows and there’s so much to learn off them. “Never give up, it doesn’t matter who you are playing against, you work your hardest. You just never know what can happen in football, it might be your last game or it might be your first game to go as high as you can. “If you work as hard as you can, you’ll get your rewards. “Callum is elite now, he’s at the top of his game. I have watched him since we were kids and went to school together at primary and secondary. We were in the same class and he’s someone who had a dream. To follow someone who had a dream and to watch him first hand, how hard he worked, it has helped me.”