Meet the Birmingham prison officer who is building a career as a professional boxer

A warning to prisoners being transferred from custody to their appointment at Birmingham Crown Court. 

The man accompanying them on their “meat wagon” journey may be professional boxer Hamza Azeem. By day, the 24-year-old is a custody officer, moving prisoners from jail to jail or to their court appointments. 

By night, he’s a boxer gradually building momentum. Hamza, a southpaw melting his long frame to the middleweight division, has won all four of his bouts on points. 

Of his role in the prison service, Hamza, from Kings Heath, said: “It helps with my boxing, every prisoner has a different energy. It helps my boxing, my mentality, my people skills. I’ve only had one guy try to hit me. I moved quickly and took him to the ground.” 

Hamza turned over after a fairly limited amateur career, but is brimming with confidence. “I wanted to go to the pros,” said Hamza. “I felt I could do better with the pros, I feel more comfortable. If you’re good enough in the pros, you’ll get somewhere, but in the amateurs it’s a long process to reach the top. 

“I’m bringing amateur talent to the pro game and I’m pretty awkward. I’m an awkward southpaw, man. The sky's the limit – I believe in myself and my team. I’ll go as far as God wants to take me. The power will be there once I’ve gone through the gears and the confidence comes in.” 

Hamza’s confident that, by the end of this year, the handcuffs will be off and he’ll be taking real risks in the ring. They’ll remain on for his day job, however.