Prince Naseem Hamed's shocking confession reveals the real reason behind his devastating loss to Marco Antonio Barrera: it was a battle he couldn't win, even before the first punch was thrown.
In 2001, the boxing world was stunned when the flamboyant Prince Naseem Hamed, a dominant force in the featherweight division, suffered his first professional defeat against Marco Antonio Barrera. Years after parting ways with his longtime trainer, Brendan Ingle, and joining forces with Emanuel Steward, Hamed's career took an unexpected turn.
Under Ingle's guidance, 'Naz' had become a sensation. He clinched the WBO world featherweight title in 1995, knocking out Steve Robinson in the eighth round. He then went on to defend his belt 11 times, including a memorable fourth-round victory over Kevin Kelley. But the split with Ingle marked a turning point.
With Steward in his corner, Hamed added four more title defenses before facing Barrera. Despite his impressive record at 126lbs, Hamed was the favorite. Barrera, who had yet to establish his rivalries with boxing greats like Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales, was considered the underdog.
But here's where it gets controversial... Barrera delivered a masterclass, securing a unanimous decision victory. Hamed, however, has since revealed that his preparation for the fight was far from ideal.
Speaking with Froch On Fighting as part of the promotional run for the biopic Giant, the British boxing legend admitted that the struggle to make weight was his biggest challenge. "It was impossible to prepare [for Barrera], because eight weeks to lose 2.5 stone [35lbs] was virtually impossible," Hamed confessed.
He continued, "The first day [of camp], Oscar Suarez, who was my trainer [alongside Steward] then, said: ‘Right, let’s weigh you’. I was 11 stone [154lbs], and he said to me, ‘Right, we’ve got this nutritionist and you’re going to live on 500 calories a day."
And this is the part most people miss... "From the start of training camp to the last day of training camp – going to Vegas – I still didn’t make the weight," Hamed revealed. "I was so weight-drained, and it was dangerous, but I just always thought in my heart that there was no way [Barrera] was going to knock me out, or stop me. And I always thought: ‘He can’t go 12 rounds without me catching him’."
Following his loss to Barrera, Hamed fought only once more, winning on points against Manuel Calvo, before retiring in 2002.
Do you think Hamed's weight issues were the sole reason for his loss? Could a different approach to his training have changed the outcome? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
