Naseem Hamed

Naseem Hamed, also known as Prince Naseem and Naz, was a British professional boxer who had an incredible career spanning over a decade, from 1992 to 2002. He fought a total of 37 fights during his professional career, out of which he won an impressive 36, with no draws or no-contests. He also won 31 of those fights via knockout, earning him a stunning knockout-to-win ratio of 84%.

Hamed fought in three different weight classes during his career - bantamweight, super-bantamweight, and featherweight, and held multiple world championships. He won a total of three world titles at featherweight, including the WBO title from 1995 to 2000, the IBF title in 1997, and the WBC title from 1999 to 2000. He also reigned as the lineal featherweight champion from 1998 to 2001 and the IBO champion from 2002 to 2003. He held the European bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995, and BoxRec ranks him as the best British featherweight of all time. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 2015.

Some of Hamed's best fights and notable victories include wins over Hall-of-Famer Tom Johnson, Vuyani Bungu, Wilfredo Vázquez, Billy Hardy, Juan Gerardo Cabrera, Remigio Molina, and Kevin Kelley. One of the best fights of his career was against former WBC titleholder Kevin Kelley in late 1997. The fight took place at Madison Square Garden, New York, and was widely hyped. Before the bout, Kelley told Hamed, “I’m gonna smoke your boots”. Hamed put on an impressive display, winning the fight via a fourth-round knockout.

Hamed made his professional debut against Ricky Beard in February 1992, winning the fight via a second-round knockout. He went on to win 34 more consecutive fights after his debut, which included 30 wins via stoppage. He had his first world title fight at the age of 21 on September 30, 1995, after 19 professional fights against Steve Robinson for the featherweight WBO title. He defeated Robinson via an 8th round TKO to become the featherweight champion of the world.

Throughout his career, Hamed was known for his unconventional boxing antics and spectacular ring entrances that included entering the ring on a flying carpet, a lift, and a palanquin, as well as re-enacting the video of Michael Jackson's Thriller, and wearing a Halloween mask. He was also known for his front somersault over the top rope into the ring, his highly athletic and hard-hitting southpaw boxing style, and formidable one-punch knockout power. He had a cocky persona and high-profile bouts, making him a prominent figure in the 1990s British pop culture.

Hamed earned a nickname "Prince Naseem" after donning his sparkling shorts and robe that had his initials, "P.N," written on them. He stuck his chin and looked down at opponents while circling them while they stood in the middle of the ring. This showmanship upset many people, including the typical boxing fan, who criticized Hamed for showboating, lack of discipline, and lack of focus on professionalism. Despite this, Hamed was one of the biggest draws in boxing history, as he sold out arenas before his opponent was even named.

At the age of 27, Hamed suffered his first loss against Marco Antonio Barrera via a 12-round unanimous decision in 2001. The memorable fight was held in Las Vegas and marked the first time Hamed had competed in America. The defeat ended Hamed's 35-fight win streak.

Hamed last fought a non-title bout against Manuel Calvo on May 18, 2002, winning the fight via a 12-round unanimous decision. It has been 20 years, ten months, and 13 days since this fight. Hamed retired from professional boxing with a record of 36-1, 31 of which were wins via knockout, and three title wins.

BoxRec ranks Hamed as the 35th greatest European pound-for-pound boxer of all time and the 17th greatest British fighter of all time. In 2016, ESPN ranked Hamed at number 22 on its list of the top 25 fighters, pound for pound, of the last 25 years. World Boxing, a sister publication of The Ring magazine, ranked Hamed the 11th greatest British boxer of all time, and Gareth A. Davies of The Telegraph ranked him 10th. The Ring ranked Hamed the 46th greatest puncher of all time.

In conclusion, Naseem Hamed was an extraordinary British professional boxer who had a career spanning more than ten years. He was a force to be reckoned with in the ring, winning multiple world championships, including three featherweight titles. He was known for his unorthodox boxing style, showmanship, and knockout power. Even after his retirement from boxing, he is remembered as one of the greatest British boxers of all time and is consistently ranked as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in European boxing history.

Naseem Hamed Fight Record