Floyd Mayweather laments fading memory of Naseem Hamed
Has British boxing sidelined the memory of Naseem Hamed?
American great Floyd Mayweather believes so.
Mayweather, who retired unbeaten in 50 fights and is widely regarded as one of the finest pound-for-pound boxers in history, says British fans do not give Sheffield’s Naseem “Prince” Hamed the credit he deserves.
The pair remain in touch more than two decades after their respective peaks. And Mayweather insists the flamboyant former featherweight champion should be held in higher esteem.
“Actually, it’s so crazy that Prince Naseem Hamed he doesn’t get the props he truly deserves,” Mayweather told Seconds Out.
“We still speak on a regular basis. [He was a] hell of a showman.
"A lot of the people in the UK forget about him. We need to give him his flowers – unbelievable! One of the best fighters to come from the UK if not the best.”
Hamed, now 51, boxed professionally from 1992 to 2002.
He won 36 of his 37 contests, 31 by knockout, and unified versions of the world featherweight title.
His electric power, unconventional angles, and theatrical entrances made him one of the sport’s most recognisable figures.
At his peak, he was a pay-per-view star on both sides of the Atlantic, famously headlining Madison Square Garden in 1997 against Kevin Kelley in a firefight that the New York Times described as “boxing’s shot of adrenaline.”
Yet Hamed’s career was relatively short.
In April 2001, just three months after Mayweather dismantled Diego Corrales to defend his WBC super-featherweight title, Hamed suffered his only professional defeat.
Marco Antonio Barrera outboxed him in Las Vegas, a result that marked the beginning of the end. The Ingle talent fought just once more, beating Manuel Calvo in 2002, before walking away from the sport at 28.
That timing was crucial.
Mayweather, then only 23, had publicly called for a showdown with Hamed after beating Corrales, suggesting a catchweight of 128 lbs.
HBO commentator Larry Merchant poured cold water on the idea live on air, quipping: “Prince Naseem isn’t going to fight you … after he saw this, it ain’t gonna happen.”
Mayweather would go on to conquer the divisions, eventually winning world titles from super featherweight to light middleweight, and retiring with victories over the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Canelo Álvarez, and Manny Pacquiao. Hamed, meanwhile, never returned to those dizzying heights.
The two men have since spoken warmly of each other, though both have implied the fight was never close to materialising.
Mayweather has claimed Hamed “didn’t really want to fight; he wanted to be friends,” while Hamed has countered that not meeting Mayweather may have been “for the best” given the risks involved.
For British boxing, the legacy question remains.
Hamed’s career may have been short, but his impact was seismic – from the leaping knockouts to the way he brought crossover attention to the sport in the 1990s.
Mayweather’s recent comments underline a belief that the “Prince” deserves to be remembered not just as a colourful character, but as a genuine pioneer whose talent and showmanship helped reshape the modern boxing landscape.