Naseem Hamed is a former professional boxer known for his featherweight world championships and an unconventional fighting style. After securing the European bantamweight title in 1994, Naseem Hamed, known as Prince Naseem, quickly established himself as a dominant force in professional boxing. He made his professional debut at flyweight in 1992, rapidly gaining a reputation for his unorthodox southpaw style and formidable one-punch knockout power. In 1994, he further solidified his status by winning the vacant WBC International super-bantamweight title, stopping Freddy Cruz in six rounds.

His undefeated streak, however, concluded on April 7, 2001, in a twelve-round unanimous decision loss to Marco Antonio Barrera. This seminal fight became a significant event, drawing 310,000 pay-per-view buys on HBO and setting a record as the highest-grossing featherweight bout in the United States at that time. Hamed’s final professional fight occurred in May 2002 against Manuel Calvo for the vacant IBO featherweight title, which he won by unanimous decision. He concluded his illustrious career with a professional record of 36 wins, including 31 by knockout, and only 1 loss, retiring due to chronic hand problems.

Naseem Hamed’s impactful career and distinctive contributions to the sport were further recognized in 2015 when he was formally inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. His innovative fighting technique, combined with a flair for the dramatic, left an indelible mark on boxing history, inspiring a new generation of fighters and captivating audiences worldwide.