Son of Last American to Win Lineal Heavyweight Title, Hasim Rahman, Signs With BKB

Sherif Rahman signs multifight deal with BKB

Hasim Rahman's son is entering BKB | IMAGO / MediaPunch

The son of the last American to hold the lineal heavyweight championship of the world has signed a multi-fight agreement with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing.

Sharif Rahman, the son of former lineal heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, has never been defeated in boxing.

Like his father, he is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, although he now resides in Las Vegas. Rahman boasts a perfect 9-0 record, with four knockouts, compiled across eight states. He last competed as a gloved boxer in 2024.

Sharif Rahman signs with BKB

“I've carried this family name my whole career and I've never lost. Bare knuckle is a new test—no gloves, no excuses, just pure skill and heart—and I'm bringing my undefeated record to BKB to prove I belong among the best in the trigon,” Rahman said.

“C3,” as the fighter is known, is 30 years old. He follows in the footsteps of the Vargas dynasty. Two other recent BKB signings, Amado and Fernando Vargas Jr., are sons of the legendary Fernando Vargas Sr., whose career was largely contemporary with that of Hasim Rahman. The influx of second-generation fighters gives BKB several recognizable boxing bloodlines around which to build future cards.

“Sharif has boxing in his blood and a 9-0 record to back it up. Signing a talented, unbeaten fighter with a name like Rahman is another massive statement for BKB. We can't wait to see him test that perfect record inside our trigon,” said David Tetreault, CEO of BKB Bare Knuckle.

Welcome to the BKB family 🙌

Sharif Rahman signs his contract with BKB ✍️#BKB #BareKnuckle pic.twitter.com/Ipq2z3fLbx

— BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing (@bkbbareknuckle) August 12, 2026

There may be more Rahmans on the way. Hasim Rahman Jr. is also a professional boxer who was once scheduled to face Jake Paul before the bout was canceled. He has continued competing professionally since then. (Disclosure: your author was once an alternate to face the young Rahman in an amateur tournament in Long Beach, California.)

“Sharif Rahman comes from one of the great families in heavyweight boxing history, and he's built his own perfect record on discipline and skill. That's exactly the kind of fighter who thrives in the trigon. We're excited to welcome him and his undefeated record to BKB,” said Mike Vazquez, founder of BKB Bare Knuckle.

Hasim Rahman knocked out Lennox Lewis with a fulgurant right hand in their first fight in April 2001. In doing so, he became the WBC, IBF and lineal heavyweight champion of the world—and, to date, the last American to earn that distinction.

Rahman was stopped by Lewis in their rematch seven months later. Lewis subsequently declined to grant Rahman a third fight, despite Rahman having honored the immediate-rematch clause after scoring one of the most memorable heavyweight upsets of the era.