Naseem Hamed Archives — Page 2 Of 3

Naseem Hamed Turns 45 – So How Good Was “The Prince?”

February 12, 2019 by James Slater

Born today in The Steel City of Sheffield in the south of Yorkshire, England, was one Naseem Hamed – better … more “Naseem Hamed Turns 45 – So How Good Was “The Prince?””

Naseem Hamed Says He’d Have Beaten Frampton And Warrington On The Same Night

November 21, 2018November 20, 2018 by James Slater

The combination of age and well over ten years of retirement has failed to temper Naseem Hamed’s enormous ego. The … more “Naseem Hamed Says He’d Have Beaten Frampton And Warrington On The Same Night”

Movie On Naseem Hamed In The Works

September 29, 2018September 28, 2018 by James Slater

Currently a guest of honour in Saudi Arabia, for tonight’s WBSS super-middleweight final between George Groves and Callum Smith, former … more “Movie On Naseem Hamed In The Works”

The Eubank-Hamed story: A tale of rivalry and jealousy

February 19, 2018 by James Slater

Long since retired former British superstar Naseem Hamed made quite the memorable pundit as a guest commentator on ITV Box Office this past Saturday night. Working the George Groves-Chris Eubank Junior WBSS semifinal, Hamed, as overweight as we have grown accustomed to seeing him these days, really did put the boot in in brutally assessing points loser Eubank Jr.

Naseem Hamed: If he hadn’t retired when he did?

February 12, 2018 by James Slater

Former featherweight king “Prince” Naseem Hamed celebrates his 44th birthday today. The super-powerful southpaw – long retired and long content to live a low-key existence, vastly overweight, in fact barely recognisable from his peak fighting days – by his own admission retired too soon.

Twenty Years later: Looking back on the Naseem Hamed-Kevin Kelley featherweight war

December 19, 2017 by James Slater

It is the fight HBO’s Larry Merchant called “a featherweight version of Hagler-Hearns” and it rocked New York City twenty long years ago today.

Many fans, and plenty of experts, were left in awe due to the violence, speed, ferocity and number of knockdowns, knockout punches, and sheer, relentless two-way action that was somehow crammed into less than 12-minutes of boxing.

When the “O” goes – fighters who were never the same after losing for the first time

October 22, 2017October 20, 2017 by James Slater

Some fighters, be they at the start of their career, at the middle or even coming towards the end, come back stronger after suffering their very first defeat, while other fighters are never, ever the same again after tasting the pain of losing.

Great fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bernard Hopkins and James Toney have over the years proven how there is so much more than holding an unbeaten record in boxing; each legend returning from a loss with a vengeance. However, some fighters, a number of them closing in on greatness at the time, were all but finished, at least compared to what they had been, after losing their “O,” their prefect record.

On this day in 2000: Naseem Hamed gave us his final thrilling victory

August 22, 2017August 19, 2017 by James Slater

On this day 17 years ago, Britain’s Naseem Hamed, the hardest puncher in featherweight boxing history, scored his final thrilling, memorable ring victory. Facing former amateur standout Augie Sanchez in Mashantucket in a fight that went out on HBO, Hamed scored a brutal KO win in defence of his WBO crown.

The fight, after a relatively uneventful opening round (uneventful compared to the sheer street-fighting element that was to come) became a sensational slugfest, with a ton of leather thrown from both sides, trips to the canvas from both fighters that could so easily have been scored as legit knockdowns, blood and finally a savage KO. Indeed, the action that came thick and fast over four rounds was all but impossible to keep up with.

Who’s the greatest British boxer of the last 30 years: Calzaghe? Benn? Hamed? Lewis?

June 25, 2017June 24, 2017 by James Slater

Right now, two hugely influential and respected publications are asking the question: who are the finest British boxers in history? British Boxing News first asked the question that is currently causing much debate, while in the US, Ring Magazine also asks the question (limiting the picks from the last 30 years).

Twenty Years ago today: when “The Prince” was in his prime; Hamed unifies the featherweight titles

February 8, 2017 by James Slater

Exciting, abrasive, controversial and still talked about some 15 years after his final ring appearance. Who? Sheffield’s cocksure, blisteringly powerful featherweight king Naseem Hamed, a potentially great fighter who preferred to go by the nickname of “Prince.”

It was two full decades ago today (February 8, 1997) when Hamed scored what was arguably the most impressive and meaningful win of his 10 year, 37 fight pro career. Southpaw Hamed – who had burst onto first the British scene and then the world scene with thrilling wins and an extremely arrogant approach that included a pre-fight somersault over the top rope, a hands-held-low style and supreme self-belief – met the classy and experienced Tom Johnson in London.