Naseem Hamed is a former British professional boxer who competed professionally from 1992 until 2002. Naseem is known for his unconventional boxing antics and spectacular ring entrances. Hamed was known for his highly athletic and hard-hitting southpaw boxing style and formidable one-punch knockout power. He was nicknamed "Prince Naseem and Naz."
Naseem Hamed was born on February 12, 1974, to Yemeni parents. Naseem and his brothers Riath Hamed, Nabeel Hamed, and Murad Hamed were raised in Yorkshire, England. His knockout-to-win ratio of 84% and cocky persona made him a prominent figure in 1990s British Pop Culture.
Naseem Hamed flourished in the late 1990s, which skyrocketed his popularity. His life's path led him to marry a stern-looking British girl named Eleasha Elphinstone.
The wedding was strictly performed in Muslim culture at an undisclosed location in Sheffield. Eleasha's mother, Liz Crilley, was absent from her wedding because of Hamed's family rituals.
Naseem Hamed and Eleasha Hamed are blessed with two sons, Sami Hamed, and Aadam Hamed. Both of Naseem's sons are now practicing boxing at Ingle Gym, where Naseem trained and practiced in the past.
Boxers earn as long as they are playing in the ring. When they retire, they don't have any income. In 2017, Naseem's net worth was estimated to be around $50 million, and it has been steadily declining since he left the ring. Hamed's yearly salary was $3,000,000, and his career earnings were $75,700,000. Prince Naseem's earnings from endorsed brands weren't mentioned.
Boxers aren't paid like the league players, and their payments are based on the popularity of their matchups, sponsors, who is favored, and other factors. Naseem Hamed has not played for over 15 years, but he still maintains a net worth of $33 million. Oleksandr Usyk is another famous Ukrainian professional boxer with a net worth of more than $15 Million.
Sponsors also seek the popularity of players to get recognized by the masses. Naseem was sponsored by brands like sony and Adidas when he was at the peak of his boxing career.
Naseem Hamed and his wife, Eleash Hamed, are proud parents of their sons. The elder son, Sami Naseem Salem Hamed, and Younger, Adam Hamed. are inspired by their father, Naseem Hamed, and are training at Ingle Gym, where their dad, himself, trained and practiced in the past.
Naseem Hamed sons are both active on Instagram and share their glimpses of boxing practice.
When Naseem showed off his car's speed to a business partner, McLaren-Mercedes SLR crashed into a Volkswagen Golf car. Inside was the driver named Anthony Burgin.
The Golf driver said that Naseem just walked away from the wreckage without even checking if he was alive." Anthony Burgin had bone fractures and bruising to the brain; after multiple hospitalizations, he could not work again.
On May 12, 2006, Naseem was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment and four years disqualification from driving. He was left free on September 4, 2006, after serving 16 weeks in prison.
In Naseem's prime days, when his fight was announced in the arena, the tickets for that match would sell out before his opponent was even named. He started boxing professionally at flyweight in 1992. Hamed rose through the ranks as he knocked out opponents in the opening rounds.
Hamed's unorthodox boxing style grew a huge fan base along with critics. After signing for Frank Warren, an English boxing manager, he started enjoying flashy entrances. At 20 years of age, Naseem won the European bantamweight title, beating Vincenzo Belcastro in a problematic situation.
Naseem was known for his unconventional boxing style and his brutal knockouts. He entered the ring on a lift, a palanquin, and wearing a Halloween mask, then proceeded to choreograph in Michale Jackson's Thriller.
Hamed knocked down Wales' defending World Boxing Organization champion Steve Robinson. Naseem got Robinson with a left hook and injuring his hand caused him problems for the rest of his career.
In Dubin, Naseem knocked Manuel Medina twice in the 10th round. Medina's ringside doctor advised him, and he withdrew from the match. In February 1997, Hamed dropped long-time International Boxing Federation (IBF) Champion Tom Johnson with a huge uppercut. Hamed was soon forced to cease the IBF title because the title was IBF's mandatory challenger.
In October 1997, Prince Naseem defended his WBO title against Jose Badillo, Badillo's cornerman, who entered the ring in the 7th round to stop the match. In late 1997, Hamed made his debut in the U.S., where he fought with former WBC (World Boxing Council) title holder Kevin Kelly at Madison Square Garden. Though Naseem Hamed suffered from 3 knocked outs and was forced to edge, he made a comeback and put Kelly down a third and final time to win by a fourth-round knockout.
In October 1999, Naseem defeated featherweight champion Cesar Soto of Mexico over 12 rounds. He also defeated the long-resigning IBF (International Boxing Federation) super bantamweight title holder, Vuyani Bungu, which ended with a single straight left hand. Hamed added the WBC title but relinquished it later due to his commitment to becoming the WBO champion.
Augie Sanchez was renowned for defeating Floyd Mayweather as an amateur boxer. The fight between Sanchez and Prince Naseem was held in August 2000 when Hamed won and retained his WBO title after defeating Sanchez via a devastating fourth-knockout round.
Naseem Hamed's most incredible fight of his career took place in Las Vegas on April 7, 2001. This fight was for the IBO World featherweight title. For this match, Marco Antonio Barrera trained like a monk and was in the best shape with razor-sharp reflexes, but Hamed, on the other hand, didn't take the Mexican boxer seriously.
Prince Naseem couldn't hit Barrera with his trademark left, and in the 12th, final round, Barrera threw harder punches and more impressive combinations than Naseem. Barrera was called victorious through a unanimous decision, with scorecards reading 115–112, 115–112, and 116–111, and won the lineal and IBO featherweight titles. Naseem Hamed bagged $8.5 million from his fight against Barrera.
Prince Naseem fought against European champion Manuel Cavlo for the IBO world featherweight title. He won unconvincingly on points after 12 rounds looking sluggish and uninterested. Hamed's final fight occurred on May 18, 2002, at London Arena. Naseem Hamed was enshrined in the International boxing hall of fame in 2015.
In a post-interview with Ian Darke, Naseem Hamed went out of the ring, assuring a quick return, but that never happened, and he stopped fighting at just 28 years of age. Prince Naseem later said that his retirement was primarily due to chronic problems related to his hands which had undergone multiple fractures and surgery.
Naseem provided his family money during his heyday, and his family invested the money in property which has now gained a massive £12 million value. The former boxer believes he is the successor of all that money after his mother passed away two years prior. Now, Naseem Hamed has a bitter relationship with his brothers and only communicates with them through a lawyer.
Naseem Hamed gained weight due to an eating disorder caused by stress from the dispute between his brothers. Prince Naseem's brother said that it was a curse of his karma.