Naseem Hamed

About Naseem Hamed

Prince Naseem stood in the ring in 2001 when his world changed. Marco Antonio Barrera landed the punch that ended Naseem's undefeated record. That loss in the ring became the defining moment of his career, the night the legend finally fell.

Naseem Hamed was born on February 12, 1974, in Sheffield, England. His nickname, Prince Naseem, stuck from the beginning. The world would soon learn that this British boxer played by his own rules.

He turned professional at just 18 years old in 1992, fighting in the flyweight division. By 1994, Hamed had captured the European bantamweight title. He also won the vacant WBC International super-bantamweight title that same year.

In 1995, he moved up to the featherweight division and defeated Steve Robinson via TKO in the eighth round to claim the WBO featherweight title. Two years later, he beat Tom Johnson in the eighth round to capture the IBF featherweight title. By 1999, Hamed had added the WBC featherweight title to his collection after defeating César Soto.

What made Naseem different was his showmanship. He entered the ring on a flying carpet. He performed front somersaults over the top rope. His unconventional antics and ring entrances made him unforgettable.

Between 1995 and 2000, Hamed held multiple featherweight world championships simultaneously. He reigned as the lineal champion from 1998 to 2001. The Boxing Ring magazine recognized his dominance by awarding him an honorary featherweight title in 2019, the only former world champion in any division to receive this honour.

After the Barrera defeat, he returned to boxing one final time in 2002. He defeated the European champion Manuel Calvo and won the IBO featherweight title. Then he hung up his gloves for good.

In 2015, the International Boxing Hall of Fame inducted Naseem Hamed. His legacy as one of boxing's most electrifying and skillful featherweights was cemented forever.