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Hamed Beaten But Not Out
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, April 8 (News Agencies) - Mexico's Marco Antonio Barrera won a unanimous 12-round decision over "Prince" Naseem Hamed here Saturday, handing the British featherweight the first defeat of his career.
Barrera rose to 53-3 as two judges scored the fight 115-112 and the third had it 116-111 for the Mexican former world champion, who caught Hamed off guard with a boxing style rather than a brawling attack approach.
"I've only seen him be a counter-puncher," Barrera said. "When you charge him he will punch you. In this fight, we tricked him. I changed styles and that surprised him."
Hamed fell to 35-1, losing against the toughest opponent he has yet faced and doing nothing to silence critics who consider his record fattened against inferior competition.
"I accept the loss," Hamed said. "That's just the way it goes. That's the way a real fighter, a real man and a real champion goes out. I will return. That's why you see a smile on my face."
Part of the reason for the grin is that Hamed's contract included a rematch clause that could see the duo dueling again by year's end.
"It won't affect me," Hamed said. "Fighters get beat. He has been beat twice, three times. This is my first time. I will come back and beat him. No problem. There's a rematch in my contract. It's not that I want one. I'm getting one. Maybe at the end of the year."
The fight was not for a major world title, but the fighters were generally considered two of the world's best, if not the best, in the featherweight division.
Barrera's prior fight was a controversial loss to World Boxing Council champion Erik Morales, a fight Barrera said he lost on a decision because Morales had a deal with telecaster HBO and would make more money for them as a champion.
"I wish people now would believe in me," Barrera said.
Hamed certainly does. He suffered a swollen right eye and was staggered several times by Barrera, who refused to get into a slugging match with the "Prince".
"I knew he wasn't going to charge me," Hamed said. "He would have gotten knocked out. He didn't come to fight. He came to box and his boxing skills paid off. The guy boxed better than me and that's it."
Barrera respected Hamed's ability to end the fight with one punch, using combinations and staying out of range to frustrate the son of Yemeni parents.
"That's why I didn't charge him and get careless," Barrera said. "We didn't want to do that. We didn't want to take the chance.
"The main thing was he doesn't hit as hard as people think he does. I got in great condition and you see the result."
Barrera said he plans a long rest and might even drop to a lower weight or fight Morales before giving Hamed a rematch.
The start of the fight was delayed more than an hour while Barrera fixed a glove problem, building anticipation for the traditional extravagant ring entrance of Hamed.
Hamed, who said the delay had no effect on his fighting, entered to fireworks and was carried over spectators on a huge circular trapeze. One fan hurled a half-full beverage cup at Hamed as he was overhead.
Having said only days before he expected to retire undefeated, Hamed took the defeat in composed style.
"My faith is still there," he said. "If that's the way it's written, that is the way it goes. I'm happy. He couldn't knock me out. I go out of this ring still a champion. What can I say? I have to get back in the gym and get back into the ring like champions do."
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