WBO Featherweight Champion Prince Naseem Hamed fights IBF Champion Tom Johnson in a unification fight in the main event of Showtime Championship Boxing.
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00:00:00As we take you into the dressing room of WBO featherweight champ Prince Nassim Hamed
00:00:05awaiting his unification bout with the veteran Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:00:09And as you look at Hamed, you wonder just how good is he?
00:00:12Yes, he's only 22. He's undefeated. He's known for his speed and power.
00:00:17But tonight, his biggest test, even though Johnson isn't in the prime of his career.
00:00:22Is Hamed a one-hit wonder? A Camacho wannabe?
00:00:25Or can he genuinely bring superstar status to boxing in England?
00:00:30Tonight, he gets a major opportunity to back up his bravado in the ring.
00:00:42There can be no denying the flamboyant style and remarkable chauvin' ship of WBO featherweight champion Prince Nassim Hamed.
00:00:51I'm never gonna get beat. I refuse to lose blatantly. I ain't losing nothing.
00:00:57Or ignoring his brash confidence.
00:01:00Flashy fighting skills and his superstar status in his native England.
00:01:04I'm carrying the torch for Britain, you know.
00:01:08Since beginning his boxing career at the age of 7 at this gym in the town of Sheffield,
00:01:13Hamed has compiled a perfect 24-0 record.
00:01:17That's a wicked record, isn't it?
00:01:18The way it just sounds.
00:01:1924, 24, 22 knockouts.
00:01:24There's gonna be 25, 25 wins, 23 knockouts.
00:01:28It sounds great, doesn't it?
00:01:32Despite his great-sounding record, some critics believe he has not faced the toughest of competition.
00:01:38They wonder if his extravagant lifestyle and multi-million pound endorsement deals may
00:01:42prevent this Prince from becoming king of the featherweight.
00:01:45After everything, what's happened, what I've earned, what I've accumulated, you know,
00:01:50no matter how much I'm coming, my feet are firmly on the floor.
00:01:54Yet many of the questions they ask about Hamed, the true extent of his skills, the measure of his heart,
00:02:00for the answer tonight, as he meets his sternest test, Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:02:06He's the best featherweight American champion ever.
00:02:11And to me, cool, I'll go and destroy him, and I just can't wait because I feel that it's a time
00:02:19to show everybody that this is truly the start of the legend, the start of Prince of Fame.
00:02:30Every time Hamed steps into the ring, he reportedly earns $400,000 in endorsements
00:02:38through various British sponsors.
00:02:40If Tom Johnson has his way, this could be a very expensive night for the Prince.
00:02:44Here at the London Arena, Hamed's backyard, the fans anxiously await the main event.
00:02:52And, Ferdy, how do Hamed and Johnson stack up against the great featherweights of the past?
00:02:56Well, Hamed Johnson is well into his career. He's not achieved greatness yet.
00:03:02Hamed is just starting here. You can't even begin.
00:03:04When you start with his last half of the century, Willie Pepp, Sandy Sadler, the best there ever was.
00:03:09You just can't compare with him.
00:03:10Then you come a little bit later, and you've got gentleman Alexis Arguello, the great professor of Zuma Nelson.
00:03:15Those are great featherweights.
00:03:17And an asterisk, Aaron Pryor could have been the featherweight of all time had he not fallen to the drug habit.
00:03:23And Salvador Sanchez, a premature death, an early death. He could have been a great one.
00:03:27But could they compare to them? Not right now.
00:03:29The Prince is learning, is yet to be tested tonight.
00:03:33We'll know whether he's got any stuff in him.
00:03:34And as much as I love Booboom Johnson, he's not quite in that gallery.
00:03:39All right. And how about the ring styles of the two Bobby Ches?
00:03:43They're about as dramatically different as their personalities.
00:03:45They certainly are, Steve.
00:03:46And this one stacks up on paper to be a potential great one, maybe for years to come.
00:03:49One of the fights of the year, it has to be.
00:03:52These two guys are diametrically opposed in all positions.
00:03:55One is, it's almost like Ali Frazier in the States.
00:03:57Albeit they're not heavyweights, they're smaller weights, featherweights, but they can bang.
00:04:01Outwardly braggadocia, the Prince is just a crazy man.
00:04:05He swears no one in history could have ever beaten him or will ever.
00:04:08Tom Johnson, a blue-collar hard worker.
00:04:10Technically correct at all aspects of the game.
00:04:12Good puncher, good boxer.
00:04:14It's much like Ali Frazier won.
00:04:17It's great hype. It's terrific here.
00:04:19Quickly, what do you expect?
00:04:20What I expect is Tom Johnson to try and get some respect, trying to stop Nassim from jumping around, going crazy.
00:04:26Try to get his respect and whack him right away.
00:04:28Let him worry a little bit and then let the fight unfold.
00:04:30But I think in a long, hard, tough fight, Johnson by decision.
00:04:33All right, we're closing in on this highly anticipated showdown of mid-fuss over two little men here in London.
00:04:40The fight to unify the featherweight championship.
00:04:45And we're awaiting the ring walks of Johnson and Hamed as this crowd gets jazzed up once again.
00:04:52They've dimmed the lights, they've got the music flaring, they've got the lasers all over the place.
00:04:57And ready or not, here comes Tom Boop-Boop Johnson, the IVF featherweight champion.
00:05:05The big welcome.
00:05:07Here in London, he says, hey, I've never fought a guy like Hamed.
00:05:11He's never fought a guy like Johnson.
00:05:13He's never fought a guy like Hamed.
00:05:44I can let me win too, maybe I could ever taste.
00:05:48Put your arms around me, girl, and your kisses on my face.
00:05:54Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
00:05:59Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
00:06:05I think we won't beat us around, I think we won't beat us around, but I think we won't
00:06:12turn, now it's my fixin' your mind, if I don't think we can't get us, we can't get us,
00:06:18we can't get us, but if there's no way we can't get us, we can't get up, and if we can't
00:06:28Tom Johnson feeling that Hamid is a British media creation.
00:06:37They've created a monster.
00:06:38His rock star image won't mean anything in the ring.
00:06:44He said he'll try almost anything.
00:06:46Rough house tactics.
00:06:48I mean real street stuff against Hamid.
00:06:51We'll find out if this is a catch-22 for Johnson.
00:06:54If he wins, people will say, hey, so what?
00:06:56He beat a young kid with little experience.
00:06:58If he loses, he's old and tired.
00:07:01He reportedly receives a million dollars for tonight.
00:07:04His biggest payday to date was $175,000.
00:07:09He's been down only twice in his career
00:07:13against Jose Badillo and Ever Vileño.
00:07:19The professional, Tom Johnson, gets down and prays
00:07:22in a hostile environment here in London, England.
00:07:28We're trying to tune it all out
00:07:30as he awaits the theatrical arrival of Prince Nassim Hamid.
00:07:39And now, ladies and gentlemen, making his way to the ring,
00:07:43introducing the WBO featherweight champion of the world,
00:07:48Prince Nassim Hamid.
00:07:51the music together in Jersey.
00:08:05It's a longifenade champion of the world.
00:08:06And now he's playing with other high-level filled up
00:08:07in international education мест disinter parks and
00:08:12royalaries in color, California.
00:08:14$175,000 as well.
00:08:15The time dari Sarah Badillo doesn't look like
00:08:16the Disney voter team.
00:08:18Let's go.
00:08:48Oh, oh, oh.
00:08:50A delayed action fall from Angelis.
00:08:55Oh, oh, oh.
00:08:57Oh he's not here.
00:08:59Down goes Robinson for the second time in his career.
00:09:03Come over next, he's doing what he wants.
00:09:05Right hand in a thunderous land.
00:09:18Yassim Ahmed, ready to take center stage on this, the biggest stage of his career.
00:09:48He's funny when he calls out his words.
00:10:18You have to wonder what effect this has on the mind of Tom Johnson.
00:10:41Tom Johnson.
00:11:11Tonight we find out if he's more flesh or more substance.
00:11:22Everything about Hamed is loud, from his entrances to his costumes to his mouth.
00:11:30But is he underestimating Tom Johnson, a fighter of vast experience?
00:11:40He does have extraordinary power for a man his size as he struts and dances his way in.
00:11:52Set-out crowd of 12,500 in London.
00:11:58And he will do his typical circus-like flip over the ropes.
00:12:04Tom Johnson, bouncing to the beat of the music, provided for Hamed.
00:12:10A lot of stopping and starting by Nassim Hamed.
00:12:17Doesn't seem to be, at least outwardly, bothering Johnson.
00:12:21Hamed predicts a third-round knockout.
00:12:32Johnson just predicted a knockout.
00:12:36Bobby, if you were Tom Johnson waiting in the ring for a man like Hamed, what would be going through your mind?
00:12:45Well, you know, basically if I'm Tom Johnson, I think Hamed's wasting a lot of his time, his energy and his attention.
00:12:50But Hamed, he's just getting his hype going. He's doing what he does.
00:12:55And here comes the patented flip. Get ready.
00:12:58He's right above us.
00:13:00And for our sakes, let's hope he makes a clean landing.
00:13:07I hope he doesn't kick me in the teeth.
00:13:09So it only took about a week and a half, but Prince Nassim Hamed is finally there.
00:13:29In the ring. Let's check the numbers. The tail of the tape.
00:13:32The biggest disparity in age with Hamed ten years younger than Johnson.
00:13:36Johnson's biggest advantage, the reach, five-inch reach advantage, could be a factor as Hamed likes to dive in.
00:13:42They'll go by a compromise of rules for this partial unification.
00:13:46Scoring under the ten-point must system, three judges will score the fight.
00:13:49No standing eight count. The three-knockdown rule is in effect.
00:13:52Only the referee can stop the fight. A fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
00:13:57If an accidental foul occurs before the end of the sixth round, the fight has ruled a technical draw.
00:14:03If it happens after the end of round six, they go to the scorecard.
00:14:07Incomplete rounds not scored.
00:14:09So we are standing by here at the London Arena in London, England, as we close in on our main event, Prince Nassim Hamed versus Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:14:24They finally square off for the IBF and WBO Unification Featherweight Championship.
00:14:32Right now, let's get the official introductions from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.
00:14:42Ladies and gentlemen, before we continue with our action at this time, we ask you to please be upstanding for the playing of the national anthems.
00:14:51We bring to your attention that both boxers in the ring request your courtesy and respect to their opponent's national anthem.
00:14:58We now present the anthems of the United States and Great Britain.
00:15:03The National Anthem of the United States and Great Britain.
00:15:12The National Anthem of the United States of Europe, the national anthem, please introduce the national anthem of the national anthem.
00:21:10Like this came here
00:21:33This is a fight I don't even want to talk. I want to sit here and just watch.
00:21:35I'm so excited about it.
00:21:37Johnson's a smart veteran.
00:21:38He's going to try and take the kid to school,
00:21:40but this is not just an ordinary kid.
00:21:42So these guys work cut out for him.
00:21:44Who will dictate at the start?
00:21:45Hamed most effective when his opponent chases him
00:21:48because he can use his speed to stay out of trouble and counter punch.
00:21:52Look for him to try to make Johnson miss and make a mistake.
00:21:58Johnson in the center of the ring, not running after Hamed.
00:22:03Well, he said he wasn't going to get caught up in his style of fighting.
00:22:06He's going to settle it down to his style of fighting.
00:22:09Johnson didn't say he wanted to hit him anyplace.
00:22:10He didn't want to hear him in the head.
00:22:12Yeah, hit him in the gloves. He'll hit him anywhere.
00:22:14In the shoulders.
00:22:15And so what we got is a cagey champion and a full shot.
00:22:21Straight left by Hamed.
00:22:23The first big punch of the fight here, round one.
00:22:27See, what's incredibly hard to anticipate is the quickness, the reflexes,
00:22:31and the unorthodox style and angle that a punch comes from,
00:22:34which is what Hamed offers, and you just don't see it coming.
00:22:37You don't expect it from an angle.
00:22:38He could bend over and throw it for it sideways.
00:22:40It's really awful.
00:22:41He's so undisciplined, so unorthodox, so difficult to prepare for.
00:22:45Although Johnson said,
00:22:46this one no different than any other fight to prepare for.
00:22:52Relatively easy, in fact, he told us,
00:22:54as we approach the final minute of the first.
00:22:56And Hamed, in his splendid candor, as he always has,
00:22:59said, I prepare for this fight the same as I do every fight.
00:23:01I don't have any specific pre-fight thoughts.
00:23:04I prepare to react.
00:23:06He'll react.
00:23:06He's a reactive fighter to whatever Tom Johnson,
00:23:09excuse me, Tom Johnson does,
00:23:11and just win the fight.
00:23:12He said he could beat everybody now
00:23:13and everybody that's ever lived in the featherweight division.
00:23:16He is really a confident kid.
00:23:17Up to this point, it's been nothing.
00:23:20I mean, the hype has been everything,
00:23:22and right now it's very quiet
00:23:24as they both give each other a lot of respect.
00:23:27Now look out, now some wrestling tactics,
00:23:29and that really ticks off Johnson,
00:23:31and he has some words for Hamed.
00:23:33That's what Hamed wants.
00:23:35Johnson should fall into that draft.
00:23:37That's what he wants, to discombobulate him, get him mad.
00:23:40That's his fight.
00:23:40Final 20 seconds of the opening round.
00:23:43A lot of posing.
00:23:45Well, what Tom Johnson has to do here,
00:23:48he has to keep his hands tight,
00:23:50just bend his knees a little bit
00:23:51and drop the straight right hand down the pipe
00:23:52when Hamed dives in the way Alisea did.
00:23:55Alisea did it more by accident than by design.
00:23:58Tom needs to do it by design,
00:23:59and he'll start to get to this kid.
00:24:00That's the only time Hamed was down.
00:24:02A couple minutes ago, Alisea.
00:24:04Hamed, Hamed, Hamed, Hamed,
00:24:06Hamed, Hamed, Hamed,
00:24:07Hamed, Hamed, Hamed, Hamed,
00:24:08Hamed, Hamed, Hamed,
00:24:09Almost Fiends,
00:24:10It's all for you.
00:24:13Some water.
00:24:16Give me a drink.
00:24:17Get him to do the gum shield now.
00:24:33Have a little drink this time.
00:24:36Relax yourself.
00:24:38No, just concentrate and just relax yourself.
00:24:40Keep throwing.
00:24:41You've got a kettle on yourself.
00:24:42Just keep trying.
00:24:43Keep trying.
00:24:44Okay?
00:24:45Yeah.
00:24:47Round two.
00:24:49Okay.
00:24:50Always looking for something back.
00:24:51Right.
00:24:52Okay?
00:24:53All right.
00:24:5410 seconds.
00:24:55Ain't nothing there.
00:24:56Ain't nothing there, Boom.
00:24:58Don't be careless.
00:24:59Always two low, baby.
00:25:03Vondell Johnson giving Johnson confidence in his corner, telling him Ahmed has nothing.
00:25:09Round two.
00:25:12Ahmed said that Johnson will wind up in the graveyard, which was a particularly inappropriate statement
00:25:17two years ago this month.
00:25:18This was the very ring where Gerald McClellan became permanently disabled by Nigel Benn.
00:25:25You know, when Nassim said the third round is the knockout, it won't go three full rounds.
00:25:30I didn't believe that was possible.
00:25:32I didn't believe it was possible for Evander to knock out Mike Tyson.
00:25:35But what you see here is not, I think Nassim got a little different Tom Johnson than he was expecting.
00:25:40He expected more rage, more fire, more come at him.
00:25:43And he can't set him up with his own momentum.
00:25:45Now he's got to work his own way in.
00:25:47A little more difficult for the Prince.
00:25:49Well, I don't see anything happening that first round.
00:25:51It was an even round.
00:25:52I hate even rounds.
00:25:53Nobody did anything to either one.
00:25:55Right now they're starting the same way.
00:25:57I mean, they're both so into trying to figure each other out that nothing is happening.
00:26:01Yeah, more punches landed in one round of either of our earlier fights that might connect this entire bug the way things are going.
00:26:08Well, I have a feeling this is going to explode.
00:26:10Well, the flip side unfortunately to fights that are greatly anticipated and hyped is that they can be chess matches when two great fighters match minds as well as bodies.
00:26:19And we have one right now.
00:26:20Well, he's certainly nuts fighting with his wild out of control style, Hamid.
00:26:24And Johnson's certainly fighting to his ultra conservative style that he has.
00:26:29I mean, he's gone to the maximum.
00:26:30He's really conservative.
00:26:31Hamid's showing a little more respect than we're accustomed to seeing too, don't you think?
00:26:37He usually taunts, taunts, dances.
00:26:40There's no fire.
00:26:41There's no originality.
00:26:42There's no spark to him like he's been in the past.
00:26:46Maybe he just changed up on you, buddy.
00:26:49He was frustrated by Manuel Medina a couple of fights ago even though he won the fight.
00:26:53He claims he had a chest cold and he said he hoped that that's the tape that Johnson watched.
00:26:58See, his reflexes are so good.
00:27:01His balance is so well put together.
00:27:03He can jump and leap from one toe halfway bent over and spring forward to the other side of his body
00:27:08and still throw punches from both sides while he's making the leap.
00:27:12He really is a great person of great balance.
00:27:15He just comes at you from all angles, but he does get careless as we saw against Medina
00:27:21and we saw against Alisea.
00:27:23And Johnson seems to be just waiting for that right moment to take advantage.
00:27:27See, what I see here too, if Johnson would stop just ducking, but just not necessarily duck those punches,
00:27:32but every time you see the Prince leap in like that, just crouching cover and bang back.
00:27:37You gotta fire back.
00:27:38You have to react.
00:27:39When he doesn't react, he'll lose this round.
00:27:40Comed getting the crowd into it with those backhanded right hands,
00:27:44and then comes in with a left, but it didn't do any damage.
00:27:46Now combination and counterpunching is Johnson.
00:27:49Johnson's waiting to nail him with a right when he comes in like that.
00:27:52He's got the right idea.
00:27:53It's just that incredible reflex that the Prince has got to miss that.
00:27:58I see him rocking on it too, Freddie. I'm sorry, Steve.
00:28:00Johnson's showing a lot of patience here.
00:28:02Waiting for the moment.
00:28:11All right, good work, baby. Good work.
00:28:13Take your time on this, child.
00:28:15All right?
00:28:16All right?
00:28:17All right.
00:28:18What are you doing, Boone?
00:28:19He's trying to catch you coming in.
00:28:20Right.
00:28:21You gotta shorten up on your hook, okay?
00:28:22Right.
00:28:23And look, when you throw your punches, you're looking for something back.
00:28:25Right.
00:28:26All right?
00:28:27You got this guy when you want him.
00:28:28You know?
00:28:29Keep doing all this okey-doke setting.
00:28:30Don't mean nothing.
00:28:31You just time it.
00:28:32Count it.
00:28:33But you gotta count a little putting it for me.
00:28:34Right.
00:28:35Okay?
00:28:36Right.
00:28:37Keep doing what you're doing.
00:28:38Keep that dad working.
00:28:39Look, he's coming.
00:28:40He's lunging.
00:28:41Just keep the pressure off him.
00:28:43Just keep it tight.
00:28:44Don't drop your hands in distance.
00:28:46You know, you hit him with the stop counter, the stop counter, the stop counter, and then
00:28:51hit him with a double eight counter.
00:28:53Right.
00:28:54Got it.
00:28:55Yeah.
00:28:56Listen to that.
00:28:57Don't allow for sound of the corners here in England.
00:28:59They've been kind enough, the trainers, to be miked by our crack staff.
00:29:04Brendan Agle in the corner of Hamed Vangel Johnson in the corner of Tom Johnson.
00:29:09Tom Johnson normally a very cautious starter, slow starter.
00:29:14Excellent defense.
00:29:16He said he'll go after it when he wants to.
00:29:19See, all that jumping around Nassim does, takes energy.
00:29:22He uses up some of his legs.
00:29:23He's jumping, springing.
00:29:24Every time he misses with those big shots, it takes the same amount of energy to stop that
00:29:28punch.
00:29:29What I think Tom Johnson do, put his hands up tight in what we call slow walk him down.
00:29:32Keep body pressure on, and just keep coming to him.
00:29:35There he threw a couple of big shots.
00:29:36The Prince will lean back.
00:29:38He'll make them be minimal, if at all.
00:29:40Left hook by Tom Johnson, and because Hamed was leaning back, he didn't feel the full
00:29:47effect, fortunately for him.
00:29:52You can see Tom Johnson now looking to lean back and rock with the right hand.
00:29:55Yeah, because he used that jab and rock that right hand back and fire out the pipe.
00:29:59The Prince's jab is not a thing of wonder, either.
00:30:01I mean, it's kind of a sloppy thing, and he should be able to hit a right hand.
00:30:05Over that jab.
00:30:06Because, again, you keep reiterating the reflexes.
00:30:10You're so right.
00:30:11I mean, it looks like you could hit him, but then he gets back real fast.
00:30:15Normally, Johnson looks to make his opponents pay when they miss.
00:30:20But he's up against the crafty, young Nassim Hamed here.
00:30:25Very difficult to catch him because of his elusiveness.
00:30:29I think Johnson makes a mistake by moving and letting Nassim walk forward.
00:30:32And let him get braver and let him conserve energy.
00:30:34This is the round after all that Nassim predicted.
00:30:36He'd knock out Johnson, which I thought was impossible for him to do.
00:30:39Johnson's just too smart to get caught in that kind of fight.
00:30:42But, once again, Johnson cannot win this fight going backwards.
00:30:45I mean, he can, but it's not going to be to his advantage.
00:30:48He needs to pressure the kid and push him.
00:30:51Wild swing and a miss.
00:30:52Wild swing and a miss.
00:30:53And, again, the elusive Hamed able to shake it clear.
00:30:58He had Johnson with a couple of clean shots there.
00:31:10He got Johnson a little bit hurt, but Johnson's a good pro.
00:31:14Now Johnson looking to come back, but Johnson continues to get nailed.
00:31:17Johnson's in trouble too.
00:31:19He looks a little plays.
00:31:21A little dazed.
00:31:23And a little confused.
00:31:24He doesn't know how to handle all that.
00:31:26Oh!
00:31:27A heavy, ferocious right hand by Hamed to the head of Johnson.
00:31:31And he continues to unroll.
00:31:33Well, I'll tell you what, Johnson right now needs to just hold on and weather the storm.
00:31:37Because, I'll tell you what, 25 seconds is going to be forever now.
00:31:41Johnson tackles Hamed.
00:31:44And he's rocky.
00:31:45Johnson's rocky on his legs.
00:31:48Oh, Hamed looking to make the third round knockout prediction come to fruition.
00:31:54And he's very close because the champion Johnson is rocky on old legs.
00:31:59He's had a lot of fights.
00:32:00He's only 32, but he's had a lot of fights.
00:32:03Hey!
00:32:04Hey!
00:32:05Hey, Mike Johnson!
00:32:06That was a knockdown!
00:32:07Hamed!
00:32:08Hamed!
00:32:09Didn't go down.
00:32:10He just barely.
00:32:11It was a knockdown.
00:32:12His glove hit the canvas.
00:32:13Is that a knockdown?
00:32:14Rudy Battle is not making any indication whether it's a knockdown or not.
00:32:20If it's a knockdown, it's a completely even round.
00:32:22If it isn't, then it's a big round for the Prince.
00:32:26You're hurting with the right hand.
00:32:27Look.
00:32:28You're coming too wide with everything.
00:32:29Everything's got to tighten up for me now.
00:32:31You've got to close up and bring that stuff down the middle.
00:32:33You've got to bring your counters down the middle.
00:32:34Boom!
00:32:35Tuck the chin.
00:32:36You've got your hair up a little bit.
00:32:37Let's look at Johnson getting in trouble first.
00:32:39He got in trouble.
00:32:40He's got swarmed.
00:32:41And he didn't quite land his counterpunch.
00:32:42And the Prince is on top of him trying to make his prediction come true.
00:32:45He's forcing the action and landing rather well.
00:32:49And here you'll see the very end of the round.
00:32:52Watch this right hand.
00:32:53He just slips the rocks off it.
00:32:55Bang!
00:32:56And his glove right there touches the ground.
00:32:58That is a knockdown.
00:32:59His glove touched the ground.
00:33:01You're right.
00:33:02It should have been a knockdown.
00:33:04Let's see how round four begins coming off of that wild finish to round three.
00:33:12As Nassim Ahmed was definitely, from our vantage point, knocked down.
00:33:18Because his glove touched the canvas.
00:33:21But it was not ruled an official knockdown.
00:33:23And boy, has it gotten quiet here in the London arena.
00:33:26A lot of steam went out of Johnson's legs in the final minute of round three.
00:33:29Under that barrage of punches.
00:33:31But Tom Johnson then came back.
00:33:34That could have been a two-point round.
00:33:36Tom Johnson's legs are not under him, Steve.
00:33:38Here we go again.
00:33:39Tom Johnson's holding up a dear life.
00:33:41And whether you call it Father Time or Ahmed's
00:33:44Unbelievable timing and reflexes.
00:33:47Johnson cannot take these punches the rest of the day.
00:33:50Oh, Johnson is waving.
00:33:51Now, Ahmed is taunting Johnson.
00:33:56The roughhouse tactics continue.
00:33:59Oh, look out now.
00:34:00Johnson is on wobbly legs.
00:34:01Tom Johnson.
00:34:04Can he weather this?
00:34:07The Prince must really have a big cannon for a punch.
00:34:10Because he is just standing there waiting for one punch.
00:34:13And when he lands it, it gets Johnson in trouble.
00:34:15In big trouble.
00:34:17He has landed with some explosive punches.
00:34:19A smiling Ahmed backs away.
00:34:22Ahmed's just having fun.
00:34:23He's just making a joke out of this.
00:34:25I've never seen anybody make it look so easy, effortless, and be cruel in doing it.
00:34:30He's looking at Johnson as if to say, are you feeling my power now?
00:34:35An illegal backhand there by Ahmed that went unnoticed by Rudy Battle.
00:34:39He's making a big mistake if he thinks Johnson can't punch.
00:34:42Johnson just got his legs back under him a little bit.
00:34:44I can see his eyes cleared a little more now.
00:34:46He's trying to work at right hand, but he's just reacting too slow.
00:34:49And he's keeping his head up in the air way too high.
00:34:53Well, he's just building himself back up.
00:34:56But boy, he's got a long way to come by because he was on the verge of an eye guy.
00:34:59He was waving at the reach.
00:35:02Well, trying to get behind Ahmed under a minute to go in round four.
00:35:06Up to this point, handling Johnson easily.
00:35:09I mean, who would have thought he was going to handle a guy with this much experience this easy?
00:35:14Just barely punchy.
00:35:15I mean, he throws one or two punches on the end.
00:35:17He has great effect with it.
00:35:18All right, breakout, breakout.
00:35:19You wrestlings.
00:35:20Don't move.
00:35:21Don't move.
00:35:22One more wrestlings.
00:35:23His Rudy Battle.
00:35:24Oh, lunging left hook to the midsection by Ahmed.
00:35:28Hamed hitting and holding.
00:35:29Perfect example of what I was talking about.
00:35:31If Tom Johns, instead of trying to duck that, just dipped a little bit and tore a hook in,
00:35:35he catches Nassim on the way in, and he feels the effects as opposed to what's been happening to Johnson.
00:35:40You have to time those things, and some of them are going to be blown.
00:35:43Bobby, I think this round he's just glad he's still alive all the way through it.
00:35:46I mean, he started this round rocky, and he's getting himself back together slowly.
00:35:50He's looking better and better and better.
00:35:51I think next round he's going to start to put those things in effect.
00:35:54You shouldn't let him come.
00:35:55You shouldn't let him come.
00:35:56You shouldn't let him come.
00:35:57Let him come.
00:36:00Stop them.
00:36:01They made it down.
00:36:02.
00:36:03And there's the bow to end round four.
00:36:14Look.
00:36:15Boom.
00:36:16Your count is going to be a little shorter.
00:36:18Your positions come in too wide.
00:36:20Sureten them up.
00:36:22Shorten him up, okay? Shorten him up for me, baby. Shorten him up for me now.
00:36:30This guy's pot-shot you with one punch. You should never be hitting with one punch like that.
00:36:35Hands up.
00:36:38Hands up and stay tight now, okay? Stay tight.
00:36:42Keep your eye focused on the legs of Johnson. Watch how he just can't stand up under him.
00:36:48I mean, he is so weakened that the best he can do is a football move there. Bobby?
00:36:54Yeah, you know, that's your basic out-and-out tackle.
00:36:57He's trying to hold on to get himself back together, and if tackle it needs to be, it's tackle what it was.
00:37:03Uh-oh. He did a bad thing.
00:37:06Hammond, the Prince just took the referee's hand off his chest, like knocked it off.
00:37:13You don't do that to a referee, because he's not a tough one like we battled.
00:37:16Round five, a third of the fight gone. Nassim Ahmed clearly in control early.
00:37:24Tom Johnson looking to regroup.
00:37:34Johnson doing more of the dancing now. A little stutter-step move.
00:37:40And Ahmed looking the more subdued of the two.
00:37:43Right now, Tom Johnson looks a little confused, and certainly he must be.
00:37:47He's been hit with some heavy punches and got hurt early.
00:37:49There's a nice left hook, but not what started out being Johnson's punches.
00:37:53That was partial.
00:37:54A wide left hook by Tom Johnson.
00:37:56Vonzel Johnson, his trainer, wants him to shorten up those punches.
00:37:59But nothing on it. See, nothing on it.
00:38:02That's why he wants it short.
00:38:03He's getting hit by short shots.
00:38:06And again, there's that backhand move. I'm surprised he's not being warned about that.
00:38:10Yeah, he plays too much.
00:38:13Referee should stop.
00:38:18Oh, Johnson lining up a straight right hand with the left jab.
00:38:23But not enough power behind that to the punch.
00:38:27Crowd seeming very low-key, very almost tentative right now.
00:38:32They're cheering.
00:38:32I think they expect an explosion here after these last two fights we had, which were blazing fights.
00:38:37And this is a chess game with one guy way ahead right now.
00:38:41He's won every round.
00:38:42Not only that, but I think they expected more of an even brawl to start.
00:38:45But now that he's got one side, they expect Nazeem to come in and finish it off.
00:38:49And he's not really making any attempts at getting the job done and closing the show.
00:38:56Steve Collins, you saw in the lower corner from our friends from East I-V TV.
00:39:01No wrestling.
00:39:02Let him go.
00:39:03The whole production.
00:39:03Stop holding.
00:39:04Stop holding.
00:39:04Incredible.
00:39:05That shamrock's already grown out.
00:39:08Less than a minute remaining in round five.
00:39:11The IBF and WBO featherweight championship.
00:39:13Got off to a blazing start.
00:39:16Hamed dominating, but things have simmered down a bit now.
00:39:19Once again, Johnson going back to the jab.
00:39:21Trying to get into a rhythm and working everything off the jab.
00:39:25And now holding and hitting.
00:39:26Continues to hit.
00:39:27Goes to the roughhouse tactic.
00:39:29Actually, Nazeem was holding and Johnson's allowed to hit.
00:39:32It was a body shot.
00:39:33It was clean.
00:39:33The head shot was clean.
00:39:35But Johnson was holding him as well.
00:39:36It seemed like a mutual situation.
00:39:39You're allowed to hit with that.
00:39:40Well, here comes Hamed again.
00:39:41Combination to the head.
00:39:42Oh, look out.
00:39:43He walked into one.
00:39:45That's what Johnson's been trying to do all night,
00:39:47but he's been winding up too wide with the shot.
00:39:49Johnson nearly tagged Hamed White flush on the face.
00:39:53Johnson coming on now.
00:39:55Boy, there's murder in his eyes now.
00:39:56Vital seconds of round five.
00:39:58This is a different Johnson now.
00:40:00Tom Johnson with confidence.
00:40:01Let's go.
00:40:03Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
00:40:12Now, you're all right.
00:40:16De-breed.
00:40:17Give me a little drink.
00:40:24Just figure it out, man.
00:40:25You're all right.
00:40:25Just de-breed.
00:40:28Just de-breed.
00:40:29All right.
00:40:29Feel that.
00:40:30Now, all right, leave, man.
00:40:31All right.
00:40:33Leave it.
00:40:35Just your breath.
00:40:35De-breed.
00:40:36Fill it.
00:40:37You're trying too hard.
00:40:38Just the jab, the jab, the jab.
00:40:40You catch him.
00:40:41Go on.
00:40:42De-breed.
00:40:42All right.
00:40:43De-breed.
00:40:43There you go.
00:40:44Come on.
00:40:45Here's what you call walking into a punch.
00:40:47Boom.
00:40:47A little bit more, and his knee touches the canvas, and that would have been the second knockdown of the fight.
00:40:52Because according to Bobby and I, he got knocked down the first time.
00:40:54Well, the glove did hit the ground the first time, and yes, that's what Johnson's been trying to do.
00:40:58He's been trying to time the shot, but he's winding up when he can't wind up.
00:41:01He's just got to kind of lower his shoulders and drive it.
00:41:05You know, he looked lost there in round two, three, and four.
00:41:08All of a sudden, he got himself together.
00:41:09At the end of this round, he looked like he had great purpose, like he was coming on.
00:41:13Hamed averages 3.7 rounds.
00:41:15This is round six, and Tom Johnson undoubtedly giving Hamed problems.
00:41:22It's extremely quiet here now.
00:41:25In Hamed's backyard, Nash walking right into a big right with about 20 seconds left in the last round.
00:41:33Hamed in the leopard skin, and Johnson bouncing around in the black trunks with the red and white trim.
00:41:38He's got to pick up that pepper that he had in the last round when he was coming on, and his eyes turned on the killer.
00:41:47When he said, okay, I'm coming now.
00:41:49Look at Johnson now, dancing around, showing the movement, looking very, very sharp all of a sudden.
00:41:57Yeah, I think he's doing a little too much moving, though, Steve.
00:41:59I don't think it helps him in the energy department.
00:42:02I think all he'll do is deplete his energy.
00:42:04He's still trying to look and find.
00:42:05He's trying to outsmart and counter the counters, counter the leads of Hamed, but right now it's not worth him.
00:42:11He tries to pace himself at 32, but a sense of urgency here against the 22-year-old Hamed.
00:42:18He's got to attack.
00:42:19He's got to, like he did at the end of the round, he's got to attack to keep the Prince from initiating action.
00:42:24The Prince is going back and counterpunching.
00:42:25He's got a much better chance.
00:42:27He sits back here and waits for the Prince to invent one of those punches from left field.
00:42:31He usually takes several rounds before Johnson gets down to business, but he can't waste any time against Hamed.
00:42:37He's not that far behind now.
00:42:40He won that last round.
00:42:40The first round was even.
00:42:45Part of Johnson's thinking may be perhaps, hey, if I can get Nassim Hamed into the later rounds, might have something here.
00:42:52Look out!
00:42:52A straight right hand by Johnson that sent Hamed his head back.
00:42:56Nassim shook it off pretty well.
00:42:58He got staggered.
00:42:58Not really staggered, but he got his attention for a second.
00:43:01Then he smiled and shook it off.
00:43:03And Tom didn't follow up, so that would tell you that Tom doesn't think he did any real damage either.
00:43:08Oh, a straight right.
00:43:09Oh, what a shot of power punch by Tom Johnson.
00:43:12Hamed comes back dancing and invites Johnson in, taunting him.
00:43:16You see, Johnson said, I don't have a fight plan.
00:43:19I have a plan to fight.
00:43:20That's what he told us.
00:43:21That's what he's doing.
00:43:22He's fighting when the opportunity presents itself.
00:43:24It's not exactly a fight plan here.
00:43:26But he's doing all right this round again.
00:43:28He is adapting very well here to the Prince.
00:43:31As long as he attacks the Prince.
00:43:33He's at a loss.
00:43:35You know, calling me silly, but Tom's doing better from the outside.
00:43:38I thought his better fight would be on the inside.
00:43:41Right now, it isn't.
00:43:42It's from the outside, and that's a pirouette.
00:43:43Oh, illegal.
00:43:44A spinorama by Tom Johnson that can be dangerous, particularly against a guy like that.
00:43:50Oh, look how he leads back.
00:43:51He's fighting a right hand.
00:43:53Another right hand.
00:43:54See, he's getting closer with that right hand as the Prince pulls back.
00:43:59Twice he's nailed him with it.
00:44:01A couple more, and he wins it.
00:44:03A big round for Tom Johnson.
00:44:04A big round for Johnson.
00:44:12Beautiful boxing.
00:44:13Get it in behind him?
00:44:14Beautiful boxing.
00:44:16Now listen to me.
00:44:17Listen to me.
00:44:18You're keeping the left hand on that bat.
00:44:20Now he's jumping in with that crap and you're catching it.
00:44:21Now keep doing this for me.
00:44:22Keep your chin down and keep checking it.
00:44:24Keep your turn to them, okay?
00:44:26Now look, shorten up a little bit more for me.
00:44:29Be doing with it.
00:44:30You're making a mission now, but I want you to hit him with something.
00:44:32All right, here's that offensive action we're talking about where Johnson's got the solution with the right hand.
00:44:37Boom, there's that right hand.
00:44:38Now a couple more of those in that round, and this guy's going to be counting canvas.
00:44:42Bobby, Bobby.
00:44:43Yeah, see what he needs to do, though, he needs to catch him on the wing.
00:44:45What Nassim does real well is he leans back.
00:44:47He's started to lean back just a split second before the right hand, taking some of the power and steam off that right hand.
00:44:52If he can catch him on a leap in like that, that's when they hit the floor.
00:44:56Right short hook, and then hands up.
00:44:58Round seven.
00:45:03Round seven.
00:45:04Tom Johnson is a true champion, a true pro.
00:45:10Hamed, he's got to take it from Tom Johnson.
00:45:14Johnson's not going to go quietly.
00:45:15Two big rights by Johnson in that last round as we enter round seven.
00:45:20It shouldn't be a question of audience at all, just judges.
00:45:24And the judges, none of them are from England.
00:45:26So it's a possibility, but if it is, watch out for the reaction of this crowd, because this is a favorite.
00:45:32Johnson has really taken this crowd out of it for the most part.
00:45:35The judges from New Jersey, Mexico, and Connecticut.
00:45:39The referee from Philly.
00:45:40After the third round, where he was severely staggered for the majority of the round,
00:45:44only to score a flash knockdown, which wasn't called by Rudy Battle.
00:45:49The crowd has been pretty much out of it.
00:45:51And I don't really think for Nassim that the crowd is that much of a big deal.
00:45:54He just likes to win.
00:45:56He is just, I've never seen, it's like a drug for this crowd.
00:45:58He's 24-0 with 22 knockouts.
00:46:015-0 in world title fights.
00:46:04He's not fighting with the energy and enthusiasm that we've seen him.
00:46:08With the creativity that we've seen him.
00:46:09He is now cautious after those right hands.
00:46:12Yes, I was just going to say, Tom Johnson has something to do with that.
00:46:15Oh, yeah.
00:46:15It was another overhand right by Johnson that just clipped Mohamed off the nose.
00:46:19If we can get a few more of those right hands when he's pulling back after the left jab,
00:46:23it's going to change this guy's way of fighting.
00:46:25Oh, good defense there by Tom Johnson, who is known as a good defensive fighter.
00:46:30You don't defend your time 11 times by not doing that.
00:46:36Rudy Battle doing a great job staying out of the way.
00:46:38You don't even see him.
00:46:39You can barely see him on your screen.
00:46:41He's out of the way.
00:46:42Let these guys fight.
00:46:43There's that backhand again by Nassim Ahmed, which is illegal.
00:46:46The chess match has continued and resumed, call it what you like,
00:46:50but both of these men are still trying to figure out what is going to be the most effective
00:46:53as they put those measuring jabs out.
00:46:56You know, it's not the kind of performance you win a title with.
00:46:58I mean, I'm sorry, but that's not the kind of thing you take a title from.
00:47:02You won't take it, but it doesn't look like it to me.
00:47:04Look at these sharp jabs by Tom Johnson.
00:47:06These shotgun jabs are sending Hamed back.
00:47:09And Hamed looking confused and frustrated, almost like he did against Mateen.
00:47:13He's got a little bit of time to get it done.
00:47:37He's got a little bit of time to win the title here.
00:47:38Straight right, then a combination by Nassim Ahmed.
00:47:42Hamed working the jabs.
00:47:44Straight right, man, flush on Johnson's face.
00:47:46And Tom Johnson will not stop.
00:47:49He keeps coming forward and he's in trouble.
00:47:51Final seconds of round seven.
00:47:53Hamed comes forward again, landing with combinations to the head of Tom Johnson.
00:47:58Up against the ropes in this corner.
00:47:59Johnson's in dire trouble now.
00:48:02Hamed continues to unleash.
00:48:05Oh!
00:48:07Johnson says, you didn't hurt me.
00:48:10You didn't hurt me!
00:48:11Get his legs off.
00:48:13Work his legs.
00:48:15Take it easy.
00:48:16Hold it.
00:48:17It's all right, man.
00:48:18It's all right.
00:48:18It's all right.
00:48:20It's all right.
00:48:21Okay.
00:48:21Put his arms down.
00:48:22Put his arms in your lap.
00:48:24Put his arms down.
00:48:25Listen.
00:48:25All right, baby.
00:48:26You're okay.
00:48:26We are all right.
00:48:27We are all right.
00:48:28Now listen to me.
00:48:30You go on this side with your hands down, son.
00:48:32You got to snap these punches off.
00:48:34Because what you're doing, boy, you're coming with them too slow.
00:48:36Drop your legs, man.
00:48:37Close your legs.
00:48:37Close that for me.
00:48:38All right?
00:48:38Everything's going on very peacefully.
00:48:41And all of a sudden, off this clinch comes a punch.
00:48:44And that gets him in trouble.
00:48:45It's almost right after the clinch.
00:48:48You got to protect yourself at all times.
00:48:49And boy, that's major trouble right there.
00:48:52Major.
00:48:52He almost had a title in his hands for the taking.
00:48:56I'll tell you, he's well on his way getting the title anyway.
00:48:58He used that left hand up on the inside.
00:49:01Dug it in nice.
00:49:01And he hurt Tom badly.
00:49:05Here we go into round number eight.
00:49:08Johnson nearly down.
00:49:10Fifty seconds left in round seven.
00:49:14Nassim Hamed looking to end it right here.
00:49:16You got to watch the Prince all the time.
00:49:26He punches right out of the break and he punches with power.
00:49:28And he's deceptively strong, yes.
00:49:30Yeah, right from the clutch, right from the clinch he punches.
00:49:34But Johnson, with tremendous heart, continues to come back.
00:49:37He indicated he was not hurt at the end of the round,
00:49:39though his legs tell a different story.
00:49:41You know, mass times speed is what generates all that force and power.
00:49:44He dives in with his whole body and much quicker than it appears.
00:49:47Johnson continues to stand on wobbly legs.
00:49:51Where it looked like he had lost the key to the fight,
00:49:54he has now found it again.
00:49:55And the Prince is leading the dance.
00:49:58And Johnson looking to hit Hamed on the back of the head like he advertised.
00:50:04Johnson has to be careful not to walk into one of those shots by Hamed.
00:50:09That's what Hamed is hoping for.
00:50:12Johnson sees hopping too much.
00:50:14Watch his legs.
00:50:15He's doing a little up in here, a little hop too much.
00:50:17When he gets up in here, he hops.
00:50:18He's not planted, he's not steady.
00:50:20He's not going to absorb the blow as well.
00:50:22He's going to snap his head as it does there.
00:50:24Combination to the head by Hamed.
00:50:26I don't think he's in control of his legs anymore.
00:50:28I think the 32 years and the 11 title bouts have a little bit to do with,
00:50:31but mainly the Prince's power punches have a lot of time.
00:50:35Mitch Fishing with a straight white.
00:50:37Johnson unable to counter.
00:50:39As Hamed looks to be off balance.
00:50:41Hamed with a sticky right upper hook to the jaw of Tom Johnson.
00:50:46The counter, white by Tom Johnson.
00:50:49Look out.
00:50:50A left handball.
00:50:51And that staggers Johnson.
00:50:54Johnson fighting back.
00:50:55Johnson in trouble though.
00:50:56Johnson's in serious trouble.
00:50:57He may not finish this round.
00:50:58No, this could be the beginning of the end.
00:51:01A minute to go in round eight.
00:51:03Hamed swarming.
00:51:07He's fighting back though.
00:51:08Johnson is all heart and all champion.
00:51:11But this fight is almost over fellas.
00:51:12Rudy Battle is looking very close.
00:51:14The ropes just held Johnson.
00:51:18Tom Johnson.
00:51:19He gets up at eight.
00:51:2638 seconds to go.
00:51:28Now's his father.
00:51:29And that's it.
00:51:31It's all over.
00:51:35The Prince becomes king for the night in the featherweight division.
00:51:39While a great champion loses for the first time in over six years.
00:51:43Welcome to the big time, Prince.
00:51:46Because you earned it this time.
00:51:49And the crowd erupts here at the London Arena.
00:51:54As their Prince does it.
00:51:59His father, Sal, who operates a convenience store here in England.
00:52:03Embracing his son, Prince Nassim Hamed.
00:52:06So Hamed has done it.
00:52:08Once again, backs up his words.
00:52:11Although there were a couple of anxious moments.
00:52:14I don't believe the moments were quite that anxious, Steve.
00:52:17I think he did it in reasonably convincing fashion.
00:52:20I think he made a statement tonight that will be heard many miles away.
00:52:25They will reverberate, Bobby.
00:52:27This time, the win for Hamed really means something.
00:52:30As he defeats the highly regarded Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:52:33And now, they come together, embrace.
00:52:37Wasn't much of that going on before this fight.
00:52:39There was a lot of trash talk.
00:52:41But, you know, what else is new before a fight?
00:52:43A lot of hype.
00:52:45And look, I thought the Prince lost his concentration in the middle there.
00:52:48When Johnson started to come back with a right hand.
00:52:50As soon as he landed a really good punch, it was all over.
00:52:53I mean, you could see the enthusiasm.
00:52:56You could see the purpose.
00:52:57And all of that left Johnson.
00:53:00And all of it went right into the Prince.
00:53:02And it was all of a sudden, one fighter just soundly beating the other.
00:53:05So, he really was impressive.
00:53:07And he belongs in the upper right.
00:53:09There he is.
00:53:10The third unified champion boxing today.
00:53:13Joining Terry Norris and Virgil Hill.
00:53:15Prince Nassim Hamed.
00:53:17Hearing it from the crowd.
00:53:18He's 25-0 now with 23 knockouts.
00:53:22It's Johnson's first loss by knockout.
00:53:25Tom Johnson now 44-3-2.
00:53:27A truly tremendous champion as he held the title for nearly four years through 11 defenses.
00:53:33First loss since November of 91 against Manuel Medina.
00:53:37Ending his streak of 19 straight without a loss.
00:53:41Now, let's take a look at the end of the fight.
00:53:42And it was, by this time, there wasn't a person here that didn't know it was going to be over.
00:53:47And here comes the end of Boom Boom Johnson's featherweight championship career.
00:53:54Down he goes over his championship.
00:53:55Did you see how he bent with his legs and he sprung forward throwing full body weight into Johnson?
00:54:00And he timed him perfectly.
00:54:02Johnson was bending and bang.
00:54:04You watch it again.
00:54:05Watch Nassim bend and dive in.
00:54:07There it is.
00:54:07He bent and he drove.
00:54:09He used great leverage.
00:54:10That is a true power punch uppercut.
00:54:12And unfortunately for Tom Johnson, he walked, or should I say, kind of leaned over right into it.
00:54:18Yeah, by that time, I don't think he even knew where he was at.
00:54:22Here's the announcement.
00:54:2327 seconds of round number eight.
00:54:26A referee in charge, Rudy Battle, stops the contest.
00:54:29The winner by way of technical knockout.
00:54:32He is still undefeated.
00:54:33He has unified the IBF and WBO featherweight championship.
00:54:38He is the world champion, Prince Nassim.
00:54:42A mouthful for Jimmy Lennon Jr.
00:54:47This is a crowd that celebrates.
00:54:49Ahmed quiets his critics.
00:54:51Fireworks going off.
00:54:53He perpetuates his image as another belt.
00:54:56And he told us from this point on, he wants only to fight for titles.
00:54:59As the confetti rains from the ceiling.
00:55:02It's like New Year's Eve here in London.
00:55:05He wants to be the first to be undisputed champion with four belts.
00:55:09And this could be Ahmed's ticket to Las Vegas.
00:55:14And perhaps even a shot on the May 3rd Holyfield-Tyson rematch card.
00:55:20Who knows?
00:55:21He hopes someday Bobby to go up as high as super middleweight, he told him.
00:55:25Oh, I think that's a little too high.
00:55:26But befitting his character on the Tyson Holyfield undercard, he said, not as an undercard, but
00:55:31as a co-feature.
00:55:33Yeah, right.
00:55:33I'm surprised he didn't want top billing.
00:55:35You know, that is just an undercard.
00:55:38He didn't want to go on the undercard.
00:55:39He wanted to be a co-feature.
00:55:40He's got to open up more, you know, and show more confidence.
00:55:42He's got to be a little more humble.
00:55:43Well, he wants Azuma Nelson, even Oscar De La Hoya.
00:55:49He said in 18 months.
00:55:53Slow down, Prince.
00:55:54You're only 22.
00:55:55I'd love to see him and De La Hoya fight because of the spectacular nature of the fight.
00:55:59But I'll tell you, he is just, he is like Ali.
00:56:02One of a kind.
00:56:04He'd really love to fight in the United States where he feels he'd be a big hit because of
00:56:08his entertaining approach, his big punch.
00:56:10And with this win, the French will really get the royal treatment here in England.
00:56:15That is for sure.
00:56:16There's his father, Sal, alongside the French, wearing two belts now, WBO and IBF.
00:56:23Featherweight championships around the body of Prince Nassim Hamed from nearby Sheffield,
00:56:30England.
00:56:32A very proud papa right alongside him there on the left of your screen.
00:56:40Right now, let's go over to Ferdy Pacheco's with Duke Durden of the Tom Johnson camp.
00:56:51Ferdy.
00:56:53All right, Duke Durden, what were your thoughts as you saw your guy hammered in the corner
00:56:57there?
00:56:58Well, you know, the kid is a strong puncher and my kid got a lot of heart.
00:57:04And, you know, the younger kid was the better fighter tonight.
00:57:09Did you think that he thoroughly dominated him?
00:57:11Because at the beginning, he looked like he gonged him.
00:57:13And then after a few easy rounds, he just seemed like he just came on and took him apart.
00:57:18Well, you know, like I say, he was the better fighter.
00:57:21We were in great shape and everything.
00:57:23But the better man won tonight.
00:57:25Duke, your man's 32 years old.
00:57:27At the height of his profession, he won 11 straight title fights.
00:57:30Is this the end for him or do you keep him fighting?
00:57:32Well, we'll go to drawing board and maybe move him up to 1.30 and see what it's like up
00:57:38there.
00:57:39Or, you know, we might just, you know, pack it in.
00:57:43We'll see.
00:57:44All right, Duke Durden.
00:57:45Duke Durden, a veteran of the fighting wars for many, many years.
00:57:48Had many champions.
00:57:49And not your night tonight, Duke.
00:57:52Hey, you have those nights.
00:57:53All right.
00:57:53And back to Steve Albert at ringside.
00:57:56All right, Ferdy.
00:57:56The amazing thing, Bobby Chez, about Tom Johnson is that he's been the same weight since the
00:58:01amateurs.
00:58:02120-68 process alone should add weight.
00:58:06But tonight was not his night against Prince Nassim Hamed.
00:58:11Well, you know, here's where we see where he starts again trouble in the last round.
00:58:15And he got hit with a clean right hand and the shots were just landing too clean.
00:58:21Hamed was catching everything on the way in.
00:58:25Everything was landing clean.
00:58:27Well, the uppercut there didn't.
00:58:28But when he eventually gets to him on the ropes, he lands a couple of clean right hands.
00:58:32Johnson's holding on here.
00:58:33This is just strictly survival.
00:58:35This is not offering up any offense.
00:58:36He's trying to throw his hands out just to keep Prince off him.
00:58:39Well, at 22 already, living like a rock star, his image will be enhanced here tonight with
00:58:47this huge victory over a tremendously respected champion, Tom Johnson.
00:58:52He's becoming a mini Muhammad Ali with power.
00:58:55And it's almost scary because he brags anywhere.
00:58:57Look at that right hand.
00:58:58I mean, he just set that up so simply and walked through it like it was easy.
00:59:03And that is a very beautiful timing shot.
00:59:05Bobby, it almost boggles the mind that a man who is just 126 pounds could have that much power.
00:59:12It's almost taken for granted.
00:59:14But tell us what it takes for a guy that size to be that strong and explosive.
00:59:19Well, he has very big thighs, very thick thighs.
00:59:21And that's his foundation.
00:59:22He plants himself.
00:59:23But he dives in.
00:59:25He throws all his weight behind the punches.
00:59:27He really, truly hits you with 126 pounds going at a pretty good speed.
00:59:31So, imagine a cannonball flying at that speed.
00:59:33It would do some damage.
00:59:35He does some damage.
00:59:36So, where does he get it?
00:59:36He gets it from his legs.
00:59:38Is it timing?
00:59:39Is it speed?
00:59:40It's a very, very wonderful combination of all of those things.
00:59:42He has good, strong, solid legs.
00:59:43He's well built from the waist down.
00:59:45Strong foundation.
00:59:46But his timing is excellent.
00:59:47His reflexes are, I mean, they're just super.
00:59:50I can't imagine.
00:59:51He jumps in and out of punches so quickly.
00:59:53It's almost amazing.
00:59:54He times people well.
00:59:55His speed is also good.
00:59:56Put it all together at the same time.
00:59:59Trouble.
00:59:59Well, Tom Johnson wanted to get out of here fast.
01:00:03So, he went straight to his dressing room.
01:00:06While, on the other hand, Prince Nassim Ahmed, he really relishes Bobby in the limelight.
01:00:11He's talking to our broadcast colleagues, our partners from B-Skyview TV.
01:00:17And it's amazing.
01:00:19Fans are trying to get to Nassim.
01:00:21They're trying to climb almost over us.
01:00:23We'll be chatting with the Prince in just a couple of minutes as the fight doctor is standing by with that.
01:00:29But Nassim, who loves the spotlight, loves the limelight.
01:00:33And he is sitting there and chatting with the crowd, as you can see.
01:00:38Where does this leave Tom Johnson right now, Bobby?
01:00:40Well, Tom Johnson has had a long run at it.
01:00:42And certainly in the lighter weights, the older you get, the wear and tear in your body takes its toll much more quickly than some of the bigger guys.
01:00:48So, he may, in effect, relax him for the day.
01:00:51Okay, this was quite a night here in London.
01:00:53Right now, let's take a look at the highlights.
01:00:55So, we're a total of three world championship fights.
01:00:58And it all got underway with the WBC Super Middleweight Championship.
01:01:02Robin Reed versus Giovanni Pretorius.
01:01:04Reed, the local product.
01:01:07And Pretorius out of South Africa.
01:01:09Bobby, we'll let you take us through these highlights.
01:01:11We know he's real sharp with his punches.
01:01:13Which was Reed and Pretorius, as much as he was courageous, he was also sloppy defensively.
01:01:20He got a lot of punches and just kept getting hit with him.
01:01:23Here you see, again, another big right hand over the top.
01:01:25Drives him into the ground, drives him into the ropes.
01:01:27And that eventually sets up the coup de grace.
01:01:29He gets caught on the way in with the timing shot.
01:01:31And you'll see him running to a right hand right here.
01:01:34And, you know, he's trying hard, but he's doing sloppy.
01:01:37Bang, the right hand's going to come.
01:01:38He sets on it, and that's the end of the fight right here.
01:01:40That was it, 210 of round number seven.
01:01:43Officially in the books of TKO for Robin Reed, his first defense of the title.
01:01:48Here's Collins versus Selye for the WBO Super Middleweight Championship.
01:01:52Round two.
01:01:54Well, I think that this is probably where the cut opened the right hand.
01:01:56And right there, you'll see Selye, he wipes at his forehead as if something's there.
01:02:01You can't see the blood from here.
01:02:02But then later on, that cut's wide open.
01:02:04And he starts getting hit with his big right hand.
01:02:05It's a big left hand.
01:02:06The blood is now coming out from several different cuts.
01:02:10And the power of the body shots, too strong, too accurate, was Steve Collins.
01:02:15And the stoppage of the fight.
01:02:16Now in the main event, it was Johnson versus Hamed.
01:02:20Here you see him flipping over the ropes.
01:02:22He is absolutely in no fear of a camera or a microphone.
01:02:26He loves what he does, and he loves to be on.
01:02:30And we'll open up the highlights with round three.
01:02:32Bobby Hamed stunning.
01:02:33He was in his own here.
01:02:36You see him cleaning up on Tom Johnson.
01:02:38Tom's having trouble.
01:02:39He's squaring off in the ropes.
01:02:40And the timing of Prince Nazim's punch is so great.
01:02:43His speed.
01:02:44And again, he delivers with it.
01:02:45You see him deliver in.
01:02:47He leaps in here.
01:02:48But, and this was where he got caught being sloppy, leaping in.
01:02:51Tom finally did catch him a little bit.
01:02:53But it was far too little and certainly not enough.
01:02:55And not anywhere near what was necessary.
01:02:58That right upper pipe.
01:02:59Again, he dove into it.
01:03:00It was so beautiful.
01:03:01You see him rip up into Tom Johnson, and Tom was collapsed.
01:03:05That was the end of the fight.
01:03:07And the referee, Rudy Battle, stepped in to stop the fight.
01:03:10It has quieted down considerably here now at the London Arena.
01:03:13In the dark lands, the east end.
01:03:16Many of these fans, if not all of these fans, will go home with big smiles on their faces
01:03:20because their Prince was certainly not a pauper.
01:03:23He was king for a night.
01:03:24And they should.
01:03:24He performed very well.
01:03:26And let's go to the fight, Dr. Bobby, who's standing by with the Prince.
01:03:28Right now, right now here, guys.
01:03:30All right.
01:03:31Another spectacular night from the Prince.
01:03:33I must say, I didn't expect you to have that easy a time.
01:03:35It wasn't easy.
01:03:36But what do you think of Tom?
01:03:38It wasn't easy.
01:03:39But Tom Johnson is a brilliant, absolutely brilliant fighter.
01:03:41A great technician.
01:03:42And what can I say?
01:03:43You've seen a better man in there take him out.
01:03:45I mean, there's been fighters out there that have put him down.
01:03:47But there's not been fighters that have took him out like I did.
01:03:50Also, he hit you with some crowning shots.
01:03:53It looked like you were going to go down.
01:03:54Did those hurt?
01:03:55Brilliant shots, of course.
01:03:56I mean, I didn't feel them.
01:03:57It looked like they hurt.
01:03:58But obviously, I went down.
01:04:01I was off my feet now and again.
01:04:02But it's a true champion who can take the shots, get up, steady his feet, you know,
01:04:07think of God on his side and carry on and take him out.
01:04:09And that's what I did.
01:04:10You started the fight in Prince fashion in that you felt him out.
01:04:13And it looked like you were going to just take him out because you got him in such trouble in round three or so.
01:04:17And then you sort of, you didn't quit.
01:04:19It's sort of like you lost interest for a while.
01:04:21It was like you were just dancing around and then you came on real hard.
01:04:24I don't lose interest.
01:04:25End of the day.
01:04:25If you saw the last two rounds of the fight, I mean, I was taking my time and picking my shots
01:04:30and realized that it was too good to just to try and run in and walk over him
01:04:35because he's a brilliant technician, a brilliant fighter.
01:04:37But when I planted my punches right and I stepped in, you know, my balance is great.
01:04:43It's great balance and the punching power is unbelievable.
01:04:45You've seen it for yourself.
01:04:46I've got a gift from Allah, a gift from God, and nobody can take that off me.
01:04:50And I'll just keep winning and keep taking the belts.
01:04:51You're an unusual fighter, I'll say that.
01:04:53I don't think I've ever seen anybody throw punches from the angles you do and your reflexes are so sharp.
01:04:58I don't think that the defense is so sharp because of your reflexes.
01:05:02It's very difficult to hit you.
01:05:03Who in the heck can give you a good fight?
01:05:05You come into America, who's next?
01:05:07Who's going to give you any kind of a fight?
01:05:08I'll fight any of them.
01:05:09I'll fight absolutely any of them.
01:05:10There's brilliant fighters out there that are going to give me a fight.
01:05:12But I know I'm destined to be a legend and it's a matter of time before I'll be a legend, you know.
01:05:17I've got to defend a lot of titles and become...
01:05:20I'll tell you, the guy that's cooking that pie in the oven is Mr. Frank Warren here, who's been saying that you're a great fighter.
01:05:25And now, Frank, you, licking your chops, as I'm sure you must, are looking at America and thinking, we've got a pot of gold here.
01:05:31Where are we going with this great prince?
01:05:33Well, we're going to, you know, we're going to sit down, we're going to talk next week and make our decision.
01:05:37But, of course, we'd love to go to the States.
01:05:38I've been talking to Don about it.
01:05:40And we may, you know, we may go on the Tyson card.
01:05:42We don't know.
01:05:42But we're going to think about it.
01:05:45The fact of the matter is he's definitely going to have a fight in the States soon.
01:05:47But he's also going to, you know, we're also going to base him here.
01:05:49I mean, he is a British fighter.
01:05:51The British fans come out and force to see him.
01:05:53And we respect him for that.
01:05:54They've been there from the beginning.
01:05:55Well, give us a little share of that.
01:05:56Of course we will.
01:05:57It would be lovely to come to the States and we're going to do it.
01:05:58If you have to pick between Letterman and Leno, which way are you going to go?
01:06:03Well, I'll tell you what, I have room to do and he'll probably do both of them in the same night.
01:06:06What belts do they hold?
01:06:09All right.
01:06:11It's nice to see a new face on the scene come and burst with the explosives you have.
01:06:16And let's see if you can keep it up because fighting's a long, hard road.
01:06:20It definitely is.
01:06:20And obviously I'll be in America soon.
01:06:23I'll be showing my talents in America.
01:06:24And I just can't wait to come over there and show the Americans who the best fighter in the world is,
01:06:28the best fighter in the world.
01:06:29I'll take all the belts.
01:06:30Soon come, Inshallah, later.
01:06:31Thanks, Yusufo.
01:06:32All right.
01:06:33Thank you very much.
01:06:34And back to Steve, Albert, at ringside with Bobby Chess.
01:06:38All right, Ferdy, thank you very much.
01:06:40If only the Prince would learn to open up, just get a little more confidence.
01:06:44But he wants to become undisputed champion in all kinds of weight divisions.
01:06:49He wants to move up to 168 and eventually get four championship belts.
01:06:54Believe it or not, he wants to move up to super middleweight.
01:06:57Bobby is in disbelief over that, 168 pounds.
01:07:01We'll see what happens.
01:07:02Well, 1997 is already shaping up as an interesting year here on Showtime.
01:07:07Let's fill you in on what's coming up in our next installment of Showtime Championship Boxing.
01:07:12On Saturday, February 22nd, Showtime Championship Boxing presents
01:07:15the WBA Super Middleweight Championship from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
01:07:19Champion fabulous Frankie Lyles defends his title against Ecuador's Segundo Mercado.
01:07:24See the action at this special time of 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on Showtime.
01:07:30So, here at the London Arena, we saw Prince Nassim Hamed come through with a stoppage against Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
01:07:40Bobby, your final comments and speculation on the future.
01:07:44First of all, let's go back a bit on the super middleweight division.
01:07:47Well, as goes Roy Jones these days, goes the super middleweight division.
01:07:50He can make it a great rivalry, round robin, if you will.
01:07:53He's got to get Frankie Lyles in there and he has to get Steve Collins in there.
01:07:56Tough kid who I think has paid his dues, has beat the likes of Chris Eubank twice, Nigel Bent twice.
01:08:01He showed that he's willing to do it twice.
01:08:04So, I think that fight with Roy Jones would be a great fight.
01:08:06That's where the future lies unless Roy Jones moves up, fights Virgil Hill.
01:08:10Then, you know, they're still looking for the marquee value name in the super middles.
01:08:13It's always been a tough division to sell.
01:08:15And the featherweight's Prince Nassim Hamed says from this point on,
01:08:18he wants to fight only championship fights, looking to clean up the featherweight division.
01:08:22Will Fredo Vasquez, Luis Espinosa, they're out there?
01:08:25So, I'm sure Vasquez would be very, very willing to meet him.
01:08:28The price will probably be right because of the amount of hoopla around this guy.
01:08:33He brings the people out in droves, whether you love him or you hate him.
01:08:36You've got to respect him.
01:08:37He gets the job done, Steve.
01:08:38And Tom Boom Boom Johnson, is it about time after 10 years at 126 to move?
01:08:45If he doesn't retire, which I don't think he will, he can bounce back from this.
01:08:48But should he move up in weight?
01:08:50Would that be easier on his body at this point?
01:08:52It's sometimes difficult for the lighter weights to carry on into later years.
01:08:55You know, George Foreman does it at 46, 47, but that's given 10 years off and he's a huge man.
01:09:00He's had a great career.
01:09:01He's had a great run at it.
01:09:03Terrific champion.
01:09:04He may move up and feel more comfortable.
01:09:06I don't know.
01:09:06He's been comfortable where he is.
01:09:08You can't mess with success.
01:09:09Yeah, congratulations to Tom Johnson.
01:09:11Despite the loss here tonight, he has had a fabulous career.
01:09:14Let's take a final look at the results of tonight's World Championship Tripleheader.
01:09:20In the opening bout tonight, Robin Reed and Giovanni Pretorius for the WBC Super Middleweight title.
01:09:25It was Reed by TKO round number seven to retain his championship in fight number two.
01:09:31It was Irish Steve Collins.
01:09:32The crowd loved him as he defeated Frederic Selye of France for the WBO Super Middleweight belt.
01:09:38TKO round number five for Irish Steve Collins.
01:09:41And in the main event you just saw, the Prince prevailed.
01:09:44Prince Nassim Hamed for Tom Boom Boom Johnson for unification of the IVF and WBO featherweight championships.
01:09:50It was Prince Nassim Hamed over Tom Johnson.
01:09:53Tactical knockout in round number eight.
01:09:56That'll do it for this special overseas edition of Showtime Championship Boxing.
01:09:59See you again February 22nd from Fort Lauderdale for Lyle.
01:10:03Well, we're ready for our main event.