Le franco-camerounais, champion du monde de boxe WBO et WBA, souhaite remporter la ceinture de champion de France et d’Europe, pour la fin de sa carrière. Des titres qui manquent encore, à son riche palmarès. Pour y arriver, le Phoenix boxe très dur.

 

The grip of his punches comes from the heart… He’s a tough guy. Hassan left Cameroon with 500 euros in his pocket and dreams in his head: “On the advice of my family, I had to go to France, a country that could offer me all the necessary tools to work in an appropriate framework and thus realize my dream of a champion.”

From 2004, the 2003 African amateur boxing champion went through difficult times: “After this moment of ordeal and sorrow that I prefer to forget quickly, I took part in 2008 in the great middleweight boxing tournament in France. The competition brought together the 32 best boxers in Europe. I finish champion. As part of an interview on the television channel Canal +, I announce that I will be the world champion. At that moment, no one believes me, and they even think I am pretentious,” he recalls.

Son of the department of Noun in West Cameroon, a land of warriors, asserts the strength of his roots and takes up his challenge in 2010 by beating, by KO, the Argentine Omar Gabriel. As a result, he won the title of World Boxing Association Champion, one of the largest international federations of professional English boxing. The feat was repeated in 2012, when Hassan became World Boxing Organisation World Champion, facing the fierce Ukrainian Max Bursak.

This young man started boxing at the age of six in New Bell (Douala, Cameroon), in the family cocoon, alongside his brothers and his father, himself a boxer. “I captured what my father was doing, banging on a bag full of sand every morning and the noise of which woke us up. One day, he found I was already very skilled despite my young age. He started encouraging me, and that’s where my passion for boxing was born. My father gave me life and weapons to fight,” says Hassan Ndam Njikam. He vigorously fought his doubts and broke Mike Tyson’s record (38 seconds) in 2016, winning by knockout a fight that lasted 21 seconds. “To get there, I spent eight weeks of training in Miami in the United States. I don’t know if I could still beat my own record,” he admits.

The American stay will quickly end for the champion, who returns to France. As of 2018, he is free-paced boxing.

« Hassan Ndam Njikam, a battu le record de Mike Tyson (38 secondes) en 2016, en remportant par K.O, un combat qui a duré 21 secondes »

Round France – Cameroon

Hassan Ndam Njikam does not hide it: “My heart beats ever harder for my country of origin. Thank you to France for the welcome and the infrastructural framework offered to allow me to go so far. But, I remain Cameroonian of blood and hold on to it despite all it can cost me. According to them, I am not French because of my position. However, I have indeed acquired French nationality, “he defends himself.

My future battles…

This boxer has won prestigious titles and met the greatest in boxing. Hassan intends to put his experience at the service of the development of Cameroonian boxing. “The Unity camp, headquarters of boxers in Yaoundé, is in ruins. We must restructure this sport and restore it to its former glory. Yesterday, Cameroon brought back many titles at the continental level, today, this is no longer the case, “he regrets.

Hassan Ndam Njikam would like the status of the Cameroonian boxer to change. The vice president of the Union of professional boxers in France wants modern infrastructure and substantial remuneration for those who embark on this sport. He plans to establish partnerships with France in order to allow Cameroonian boxers to have the opportunity to go there for advanced training and other preparations for competitions. “At the Olympics in Rio and Athens, I didn’t get bonuses. The president of the federation has never shown up in Brazil. We were retained for non-payment of our bills while I was there with my personal coach to represent the colors of the country. We don’t want our young people to go through this kind of situation anymore,” he said.

« Je reste camerounais de sang et j’y tiens, malgré tout ce que cela me coûte »

His foundation was created and is already operating in Douala. Poles will be installed in Yaoundé and Foumban. “This is a project that the late Sultan King of the Bamoun, His Majesty El Hadj Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, held dear. The adventure will continue with his successor to give a chance to young Cameroonians.”

The fury and right fist of elfenomeno (his nickname) will soon be expressed in the rings. “I’m always hungry for competition. I intend to participate and win the title of champion of France and Europe to close my career. I sometimes do seven hours of training a day. I am a phoenix, I always rise from the ashes.”