38 Facts About Naseem Hamed

Naseem Hamed held multiple featherweight world championships, including the WBO title from 1995 to 2000; the IBF title in 1997; and the WBC title from 1999 to 2000.

Naseem Hamed reigned as lineal champion from 1998 to 2001; IBO champion from 2002 to 2003; and held the European bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995.

Naseem Hamed was known for his unconventional boxing antics and spectacular ring entrances which 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.

Naseem Hamed was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England to Yemeni parents, in 1974.

Naseem Hamed soon began rising through the ranks as he knocked out a series of opponents in the opening rounds.

Naseem Hamed's popularity grew, his unorthodox style winning a large fan base and his boxing antics generating a large group of detractors.

Naseem Hamed revealed in his post-fight interview that he had fought with a heavy cold.

In February 1997, Naseem Hamed defeated long-time IBF champion Tom "Boom Boom" Johnson in eight rounds in a unification bout at the London Arena.

In late 1997 Naseem Hamed made his heavily hyped US debut.

Nonetheless, despite suffering three knockdowns himself, Naseem Hamed put Kelley down for a third and final time to win by a fourth-round knockout.

In 1998, Naseem Hamed enjoyed victories over former three-time WBA title holder and then-lineal champion Wilfredo Vazquez, former WBC bantamweight title holder Wayne McCullough, and future IBF title holder Paul Ingle.

Naseem Hamed soon chose to relinquish his WBC title due to his commitment to being WBO champion.

In March 2000 at Olympia, Kensington, London, Naseem Hamed knocked out former undefeated long-reigning IBF super bantamweight title holder, Vuyani Bungu of South Africa.

Naseem Hamed fought in August 2000 against Augie Sanchez at Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States.

Naseem Hamed successfully retained his WBO title for the fifteenth and final time against Sanchez via a devastating fourth-round knockout.

Naseem 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.

Emanuel Steward had arrived to oversee the last two weeks of Naseem Hamed's training, including sparring, and was worried immediately.

Naseem Hamed 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.

On one occasion early in the fight, Naseem Hamed grabbed Barrera and they both fell to the ground where Barrera threw a right jab, leading to a warning from referee Joe Cortez.

On 18 May 2002 at London Arena, Docklands, London, Naseem Hamed returned to the ring for what turned out to be his final boxing match, against the European champion Manuel Calvo for the IBO World featherweight title.

Naseem Hamed was booed by the 10,000 fans as he won unconvincingly on points after 12 rounds looking sluggish and uninterested.

Naseem Hamed was just 28 years old when he stopped fighting.

For years, Naseem Hamed did not confirm whether he had retired or not; there were talks of several fights in the UK and in the US, including Naseem Hamed's brother and manager, Riath, speaking to HBO about a potential fight with Michael Brodie.

Naseem Hamed is a Muslim, and frequently recited the Takbir out loud before his fights.

Naseem Hamed's last fight was watched by 11 million people on ITV.

Naseem Hamed earned over $48.5million from fight purses, including $8.5million from his fight against Barrera.

Naseem Hamed was the second richest British boxer, after heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in 2003.

On 31 March 2006 Naseem Hamed pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of dangerous driving in relation to a collision at Ringinglow Road in Sheffield on 2 May 2005, in which his McLaren-Mercedes SLR crossed a solid white line overtaking a Ford Mondeo and crashed head on into a Volkswagen Golf before hitting the Mondeo.

On 12 May 2006 Naseem Hamed was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment and 4 years' disqualification from driving, after the court heard he had been trying to impress his passenger, businessman Asif Ayub.

Naseem Hamed left prison on 4 September 2006 after serving 16 weeks, and was placed under Home Detention Curfew for the remainder of his sentence, monitored by an electronic tag.

For while Naseem Hamed rode sidecar to the Cool Britannia era rather than sitting in the driver's seat, his attitude was a snug fit for the times: cocky and swaggering, impervious to self-doubt.

British boxing pundit Steve Bunce stated on 15 March 2008 edition of BBC panel show Fighting Talk that Naseem Hamed was the greatest British boxer of all time.

Naseem Hamed was part of the 2015 class for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Naseem Hamed is considered one of the most successful and influential British fighters.

Naseem Hamed inspired a number of boxing trainers who have gone on to train world champions, including SugarHill Steward.

Naseem Hamed himself recorded a song with hip hop group Kaliphz called "Walk Like a Champion", which reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart in 1996.

Hamed had a licensed sports fighting game, Prince Naseem Boxing, published by Codemasters for the PlayStation console in 2000.

Naseem Hamed held the pay-per-view record in the United Kingdom up until he was surpassed by Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson in 2002.