Prince Naseem Hamed successfully defended his WBO World Featherweight Title in brutal fashion by knocking his opponent out within 36 seconds.
Known for his flashy style in the ring, Hamed had won all 20 of his fights in the build up to his title defense against Nigerian challenger, Said Lawal in March 1996.
The Nigerian was supposed to provide a stern test after the Sheffield-born star had beaten Steve Robinson with a fifth-round technical knockout to win the WBO title.
What actually happened went against the grain and cemented Hamed’s legacy as a prolific knockout artist.
Prince Naseem Hamed floors opponent with first punch in epic title defense
Some of the 8,000 fans in attendance at Glasgow had barely gotten to their seats before the fight was over.
As soon as the bell rang, Hamed was straight on top of his opponent, landing a right hook that immediately sent Lawal to the canvas.
In his true, overconfident stye Hamed smelt blood and advanced forward with his hand down before delivering another brutal shot that saw the fight done and dusted within 36 seconds.
Lawal’s trainer revealed that his nose had been broken by the power, adding to an already-impressive collection of knockout victories that were on Prince Naseem’s CV.
Prince Naseem booed by fans after Said Lawal KO
Although the power and talent of Prince Naseem was there for everyone to see, not every fan was impressed by his ruthless displays.
Some fans inside the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow booed the display after feeling their were left short-changed because of how quick the fight was over.
It was a part of Hamed’s boxing career that somewhat tainted his legacy up until 2001, when he was beaten by Marco Antonio Barrera.
Despite receiving mixed reviews towards the end of his boxing career, there is no doubting that Prince Naseem was one of the best in the business.