Johnny Hunt comes from rich fighting stock so when he insists Hamilton will be going down swinging he means it.
The Accies full-back is the cousin of the Smith brothers – Paul, Stephen, Liam and Callum – who are all professional boxers.
The youngest of the Smith clan Callum – the current holder of the WBA and Ring magazine super-middleweight titles – is negotiating a potential super-fight against pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez.
Liam is also a former world champion while Paul and Stephen have both fought for major honours too.
Hunt spent his childhood growing up with the Smiths and likes to think he has inherited some of their battling qualities.
And he plans to put those to good use as Brian Rice’s side – currently bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership table after 11 games without a win – scrap for survival.
The 29-year-old said: “The four brothers are all boxers and have done really well. I’m so proud of them.
“We’ve been close since we were all babies. I follow them all everywhere they go and try to get to as many fights as I can.
“I’ve never sparred with them although we did have a few mess abouts in the house but that didn’t go down well.
“They were all a bit harder than I was growing up so they chose the boxing gym while I focused on football.
“Callum and I were in the same school year but to see where has got to now is a massive inspiration for me. I want to make my family proud like all the brothers have.
“We’re at different ends of the scale. He’s at the elite level but I can take inspiration from the way he trains. He dedicates his life to it and that rubs off on me.
“I like to think I’ve got some of the same traits. I’ve got a winning mentality and I like to be competitive in everything I do. That’s how we were brought up in our family. Give it your all and never give up.
“That will be so important in a relegation fight and that’s what I’ll be looking to pass on to the rest of the team. I’m one of the older lads in the changing room and I keep saying to them that if we keep fighting then hopefully our luck will change.”
Victory over Hearts – who only sit above Accies on goal difference – on Saturday would not represent a knockout blow but Hunt hopes it could help his side climb off the canvas.
He said: “Hearts have been on a tough run but the table can change in the space of two games up here.
“A couple of wins together can see you shoot up the table so Saturday is a massive game for us.”
