‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed has admitted he ‘regrets’ the souring of his relationship with iconic trainer Brendan Ingle.
The long-awaited film Giant was released in the UK this week and chronicles the complicated relationship shared by Ingle and the world champion fighter, who cared for Hamed at Sheffield’s famous Wincobank Gym.
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Hamed looked sensational in 1995 when he stopped Steve Robinson in eight rounds to become WBO world champion.
Hamed turned professional at just 18 years old, became European champion at 20, and a year later became WBO world featherweight champion in 1995 by knocking out Steve Robinson in eight rounds.
One of his best wins came against Kevin Kelly at Madison Square Garden in 1997, when he was knocked down three times but bounced back to stop Kevin Kelly in the fourth round to defend his WBO title.
However, the relationship between fighter and trainer deteriorated, and the two parted ways in December 1998 due to growing tensions.
After the painful breakup, Hamed only fought six more times, including a humiliating loss in his penultimate bout in 2001 to Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera.
The 51-year-old, who has had time to reflect, admitted he was disappointed that their relationship had deteriorated, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports. “You can use the word regret.
“We have a lot of regrets, you know. The first time I saw this movie, it was probably harder than any other time. Every time I watch it again, it gets a little bit easier. This man was a huge part of my life.”
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Dominic Ingle praises Hamed’s influence on Ingle’s gym in the 1990s
“I’m just starting to understand how to fight, the movements, the fundamentals, the basics, but where do I get that from?
“One of the things he absolutely loved was how flashy and confident he was. I didn’t want to do a front flip in my first match. I didn’t want to do that because I was really bad at TV. But he told me, do the flip, they’ll remember you!”
“I was like, I don’t want to do that. But I did it because I was going to do it for Brendan.”
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Ingle, who emigrated from Dublin, founded Wincobank Gym in the 1960s to provide guidance and discipline to troubled young people.
He went on to have great success, guiding the likes of Johnny Nelson, Junior Witter and Kell Brook to world titles. Ingle passed away in 2018 at the age of 77.
But it was his time with Nas that propelled him into the spotlight and onto the world stage.
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Pierce Brosnan talks about how he got cast in the movie ‘Giant’
Ingle is played by Pierce Brosnan in Giant, and the former James Bond actor feels honored to have been chosen for the role.
“It was a huge undertaking. I was fascinated by the script. I love this story. I spent time and study observing Brendan, reading books, and living with Brendan Ingle all the time,” he said.
“I went to a gym in Sheffield. Being Irish myself and coming to England as an immigrant in 1964 as an 11-year-old, I knew what it was like to try and assimilate and try to fit in, so I could empathize with Brendan, who was trying to become who he was then.”
Pierce Brosnan, Amir El Masri and ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed attend ‘Giant’ gala screening in UK
“Being in Sheffield, wanting to be a great boxer, wanting to have burning ambitions like me as an actor, wanting to be great at what I do, sometimes getting kicked on the pavement or under a bus and getting back up again.
“I identified with this man’s character and his religion. He was a saint in many ways in the sense that he created a community and an enclave for young people who were on the fence and didn’t know where to go.
“He gave them a passion and a love of life and a discipline for life. For me, I felt a strong affinity for this man.”
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Amir El-Masri, who plays the role of Naz, admitted that it was daunting to play the role as he had grown up admiring Hamed, saying: “It’s a big shoes to fill and I’m really honored to play him. He’s been my hero since I was a kid. It was a no-brainer. Wanting to do this job and having to do it were two different things!”
“We trained hard for four weeks, constantly training 12 hours a day in the gym. We studied his fights intensely. He was my hero, so it was incredibly stressful. But we got there. I’m so proud of what we created. The fight scenes are incredible.”
You can see how Nas and Brendan’s relationship develops in the film Giant, currently showing in UK cinemas.
