Other
title defences
In 1998, Prince Naseem Hamed enjoyed victories over
former three time WBA title holder and then lineal champion Wilfredo
Vazquez (TKO 7), former WBC bantamweight title holder Wayne McCullough
(W 12), and future IBF title holder Paul Ingle (TKO 11; no relation
to Hamed's then-former trainer Brendan Ingle).
Hamed vs Soto
In
October 1999 at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, United States,
Hamed defeated WBC featherweight champion Cesar Soto of Mexico over
12 rounds, adding the WBC title to his collection and unified the
WBC & WBO titles. Hamed soon chose to relinquish his WBC title
due to his commitment to being WBO champion.
Had Vazquez not
been stripped by the WBA of his belt (the WBA did not want their featherweight
title unified with the WBO), Hamed would have had the distinction
of winning all four world titles in a division, something only Riddick
Bowe had achieved by that point, at heavyweight.
Additionally,
this fight marked the first occasion in which Hamed would have someone
other than his usual trainer, Brendan Ingle, in his corner. Emanuel
Steward was Hamed's trainer for this bout.
Hamed vs Bungu
In March
2000 at Olympia, Kensington, London, Hamed knocked out former undefeated
long reigning IBF super bantamweight title holder, Vuyani Bungu of
south Africa. The fight was ended with a single straight left hand,
in one of Hamed's most impressive performances and biggest victories.
Hamed
vs Sanchez
Prince Nasseem Hamed fought in August 2000 against Augie
Sanchez at Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States.
Sanchez is known for being the last American to defeat Floyd Maweather
as an amateur boxer.
Hamed successfully retained his WBO title
for the fifteenth and final time against Sanchez via a devastating
fourth round knockout. Hamed broke his hand badly in the bout, and
following surgery he spent half a year out of the gym, gaining 35
pounds in weight. Rather than face unknown EBU Champion & WBO
mandatory challenger Istvan Kovacs, Hamed relinquished his WBO title
to pave the way for a Superfight with Marco Antonio Barrera.
Hamed
vs Barrera
It is true Hamed looked awful that night. His body, drained
from losing two stones in eight weeks, amateurishly tossing around
like a marionette, head flying one way, legs flopping the other, as
Barrera worked him over. But to judge Hamed on that performance is
like judging Laurence Olivier on Inchon. Remember he defended the
WBO world title 15 times and also held the WBC and IBF belts. His
record of 36-1, with 31 knockouts, stands with the very best.
Eight
weeks prior to the fight, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden
Arena in Las Vegas on 7 April 2001, Marco Antonio Barrera prepared
to fight. Barrera had moved up a weight division. At the end of training
camp he was in the best shape of his life. According to Sky Sports,
Barrera had "trained like a monk" in Big Bear, California, while Hamed
Trained in Bing Crosby's old house. Emanuel Steward had arrived to
oversee the last two weeks of Hamed's training, including sparring,
and was worried immediately. He had seen Barrera look razor sharp
only a few months before in a stoppage win in Las Vegas, and watched
Hamed not take his sparring with young Mexicans seriously. The fight
was also for the International Boxing Organization World featherweight
title.
Barrera handed Naseem Hamed his first and only loss for the lineal featherweight championship by a twelve round decision. Before the fight, Hamed was a 3 to 1 betting favorite in Las Vegas. Hamed could not hit Barrera with his trademark lefts as Barrera circled to his left and worked both head and body.