Deontay Wilder once honored an iconic boxer as the UK’s greatest boxer.
In a clip courtesy of Sports BTThe ‘Bronze Bomber’ was full of praise for Naseem Hamed when asked to name the best British boxer of all time.
Wilder’s reasoning seems to revolve around the entertainment the enigmatic ‘Naz’ brings to the sport rather than any particular achievement in the ring.
“Prince Naseem. He’s crazy. He is flying. Confident. Who is that guy? He is very interesting.
Hamed is a featherweight world champion, having tasted defeat only once in his 37-match career against the great Mexican tennis player, Marco Antonio Barrera. He has led shows in both the UK and US, drawing crowds no matter who he’s up against.
No less than a global superstar, ‘Prince Naseem’ is rude and smug with support skills. Hall-of-famer has 31 knockouts – 84% – to his name, and has influenced boxing by demonstrating the impact of showmanship as well as fighting skill.
Many boxers, domestic or not, have attributed Hamed’s legacy to their boxing style or out-of-ring antics, and it’s easy to see why the ‘Bronze Bomber’ did admired by his fans considering his own elaborate ring walks.
They too, despite their gap in weight, share the same knockout tendency, with Wilder known as one of the hardest-working players in the sport’s history,
‘Naz’ hung up his gloves in 2002 after a decade-long professional career that has landed him on numerous ‘best ever’ lists. Southpaw from Sheffield still enjoys the sport as an occasional fan and analyst.
Wilder is also great heavyweight tested, lennox Lewisin the best British discussion.
