Prince Naseem Hamed reveals one fight depicted in ‘Giant’ inspired a legend to become world champion

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Naseem Hamed couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched his battle with Kelley Kelley play out on the big screen.

Almost three decades after his titanic clash with his rival at Madison Square Garden, the super fight was brought back into public consciousness through ‘Giant’, a tremendous film that depicts the boxing legend’s rise from the amateurs all the way to the pinnacle of the sport.

The movie, which is out in UK cinemas now, stars Pierce Brosnan as Brendan Ingle, and Amir El-Masry, who plays the fighter himself, perfectly capturing Hamed’s star power and swagger.

WOW: ‘Oleksandr Usyk has given me an opportunity’… Deontay Wilder provides huge fight update

Prince Naseem Hamed vs Kevin Kelley inspired Paulie Malignaggi

When he was just 17 years old, Paulie Malignaggi scraped together the cash to watch Prince Naseem Hamed in action. The showdown with Kevin Kelley changed his life forever, with the Italian-American leaving the arena that night, determined to conquer the sport himself.

And now, because of Giant, a whole new wave of fans can take inspiration from the Brit’s achievements inside the ring.

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Hamed said: “It was amazing because that fight was a very special point in my career where it was either make or break. If you’re down on the floor three times and he is too, and it’s like, ‘Who’s going to win this fight’? Next year, it’s going to be 30 years since that night. That fight has a life of its own because it was so amazing. It was great to be a part of it. I believe it was the fight that set me up to be one of those fighters that people wanted to watch. I was only 23. It was a big part of my career, going to New York and taking over.”

“It’s amazing. I love the fact that people are inspired. That story about Paulie Malignaggi is an amazing story, and I’ve actually heard him say it himself. It’s so good that people get inspired by the way I fought, the entrances and the confidence. It was amazing to put that forward, and see this ripple effect. I was world champion 30 years ago; it’s a long time ago, but yet it’s still on people’s minds, YouTube is still clicking up millions of views. This film, Giant, is just scraping the surface. I think it’s amazing that someone has come out and done this — how could they not?”

Prince Naseem Hamed opens up about his battle with racism

Giant takes film fans on an eye-opening rollercoaster ride through the glitz and glamour of boxing, as well as the lows that come with the sport, with Amir El-Masry confessing he was brought to tears by one particular scene.

In addition, the movie offers a heartbreaking insight into the racism Hamed had to endure growing up. However, in a testament to his fighting spirit, the warrior utilised the sickening comments that were made towards him as the fuel to his fire.

He explained: “I’m so happy you’ve picked up on that. For some people, it makes them who they are. You can take a negative that comes towards you, and you can turn it into a positive. That’s what I always love doing, turning anything negative into a positive and being happy about it. Things take place for a reason. I believe in fate, big time. We always used to say, ‘When the pen has been lifted and the pages are dry, you can’t change what’s been written’. I love that.”

Featured Image Credit: Giant