"Prince" Naseem Hamed was born Naseem Salom Ali Hamed February 12th, 1974. He is one of the flashiest fighters in
boxing, known for his
elaborate fight walk-ins and his signature front
flip over the top rope when he enters the
ring. Hamed is not a real
prince. He chose the title to reflect his dominance in the sport.
As of this writing, Hamed's professional record is 35-0 with 31 KOs. He has certainly earned his reputation as one of boxing's best, completely dominating the featherweight division. His critics claim that he relies too heavily on his blazingly fast hand speed, often dropping his fists to his waist and lunging awkwardly at his opponents (sometimes even with a running start). Critics also claim he has a horrible defense, poor balance and showboats too much. Supporters say he is the featherweight division's heaviest hitter of all time and, with such an amazing offense, who needs a good defense? Besides, they say, the evil critics made the same claims about a young Cassius Clay.