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On this day: Naseem Hamed crowned world champion at just 21 after dominant display
'Prince’ Naseem Hamed will be remembered as an icon of British boxing - his extravagance, style, and incredible natural boxing ability heralded a new era of showmanship in a sport that had stagnated with a lack of characters.
The brash Yorkshireman ended his career with a record of 36-1 (31), only suffering defeat in the penultimate fight of his career against Marco Antonio Barrera.
He held three different versions of the featherweight world championship across his career and captured the imagination of the British fight public.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of Hamed claiming his first world title and entering himself into the annals of British boxing.
So here is a look back at the night that Hamed announced himself on the world scene with all the flair and opulence he would become so famous for in the years that followed.
The build-up
Hamed, in his first 19 fights, had blown through all his competition, knocking out all but two of his opponents under the tutelage of the legendary trainer Brendan Ingle and was touted to go on to even greater things.
His tantalising style and borderline overconfidence split opinion in the UK, with some of the media saying he was disrespecting boxing, when in reality he was breathing new life into a sport that was too stuck in its ways.
Robinson was a surprise champion in the featherweight division, beating John Davison on two days’ notice via split decision to become the WBO champion in 1993.
Despite his victory being an upset, by the time he came to face Hamed, Robinson had defended his title an impressive seven times, including wins over Freddy Cruz, Duke McKenzie and Colin McMillan.
Once the fight was announced, the hopeful press said that Robinson’s size, toughness and power could be enough to disrupt the flow of the ‘Prince’.
The venue was in Robinson’s backyard at Cardiff Arms Park, but this would not stop Hamed from getting up to his usual antics.
Hamed rented a van to travel the streets of Cardiff, blaring a message from the PA system, goading both Robinson and the Welsh fans.
The message was: “I’m the prince. I’m going to be king. Make sure you are there for the coronation. Steven Robinson come out and fight me.”
On fight night, the stadium was packed with 16,000 fans, almost all for Robinson. When Hamed made his walk to the ring, those fans made their feelings towards the future champion clear, booing and even throwing coins at Hamed – one of which hit him on the head.
But Hamed was not to be distracted from the task at hand, and after checking he wasn’t bleeding, he resumed his dance and floated into the ring.
Setting the tone
As the first bell rang, Hamed rushed over to meet his plodding foe, who immediately retreated into a high guard. Hamed jeered and taunted Robinson whilst shooting from the hip and using his other worldly speed and reactions to leave Robinson punching into the cold night air in Cardiff.
Hamed was able to shoot and pivot off at such unorthodox angles that Robinson was made to look like an amateur, and Hamed didn’t look like he had taken himself out of neutral.
Through the first four rounds, Hamed was gliding around the ring, shifting between southpaw and orthodox so effortlessly it was difficult to spot at times. He had Robinson in trouble on more than one occasion with his lead uppercuts and counter right hooks.
He did all this with a smile on his face and his hands by his hips.
Hamed not even breaking a sweat
In the fifth round, Hamed showed his first true bit of intent when he turned up the power and landed three hooks, followed by an uppercut that dropped Robinson.
Hamed stood over his opponent with his hands aloft - but Robinson admirably made it to his feet. The writing was on the wall, however. The Yorkshire native could end the fight whenever he wanted to.
Robinson was in obvious trouble even after a break in the corner, and Hamed looked like he might be going for the finish at the start of the sixth, but pulled back for the rest of the round and took the seventh off. But even though he was taking a break, he had yet to drop a round against a quickly fading Robinson.
John Gichigi/ALLSPORT
The finish
Hamed came out in the eighth round knowing Robinson was there to be knocked out.
Robinson had been on the end of seven rounds of dangerously one-sided traffic and had resigned himself to survival, throwing no meaningful shots, making it even easier for Hamed to counter.
Then, with half the round still to go, Hamed switched into orthodox. He lined up his man and feinted a low lead hook, which drew out Robinson’s lazy hand defence, and the hook found a home square on the Welshman’s chin.
Robinson toppled, and the referee had seen enough of the beatdown, not even bothering to count him out as he waved off the fight, crowning Hamed as the WBO featherweight champion.
This began Hamed’s five-year reign as featherweight world champion and cemented his rising superstar status.
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