"Prince" Naseem Hamed has publicly expressed his feelings of regret regarding the fallout with his legendary trainer, Brendan Ingle, as the new film titled "Giant" hits theaters in the UK.
This eagerly awaited movie explores the intricate dynamics of the relationship between the world champion boxer and Ingle, who played a pivotal role in shaping Hamed's career at the renowned Wincobank gym located in Sheffield.
After launching his professional boxing career at the young age of 18, Hamed quickly ascended to fame, securing the European title by the time he was just 20 years old. He made headlines when he knocked out Steve Robinson in the eighth round a year later (in 1995) to claim the WBO featherweight world champion title. One of his most remarkable victories occurred in 1997 at Madison Square Garden against Kevin Kelly, where he displayed extraordinary resilience, recovering from being knocked down three times to win the match in the fourth round and successfully defend his WBO title.
However, the relationship between Hamed and Ingle soured, culminating in their split in December 1998 due to escalating tensions. Following this difficult separation, Hamed fought only six more times, facing a particularly challenging defeat against the legendary Mexican boxer Marco Antonio Barrera in 2001, which has remained a significant moment in his career.
Now, at 51, Hamed reflects on this chapter of his life with a sense of disappointment about how things ended between him and Ingle. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, he stated, "You can use the word regret. We have many regrets, don’t we? Watching the film for the first time was probably harder than any other time. Every time I do watch it, it gets a little bit easier. This man was a huge part of my life."
Hamed reminisced about how Ingle profoundly influenced his early understanding of boxing fundamentals, saying, "My whole beginning of understanding how to fight, that movement, the fundamentals, that groundwork, where are you going to get that from?" He acknowledged Ingle's encouragement of his flamboyant fighting style, recalling, "One thing that he absolutely loved is that whole flamboyance and confidence of it. I didn't want to do those front flips in that first fight. I was so cringe TV and I didn't want to do that. But he said to me, do the flips, they're going to remember you!" Ultimately, Hamed decided to embrace Ingle's advice, stating, "But you know what, for Brendan, I'm going to do them, so I did them."
Brendan Ingle, who emigrated from Dublin, founded the Wincobank gym in the 1960s with the mission of providing guidance and discipline to at-risk youth. His legacy includes training champions such as Johnny Nelson, Junior Witter, and Kell Brook. Sadly, Ingle passed away in 2018 at the age of 77. However, it was his association with Naseem Hamed that truly brought him into the limelight and established his reputation on a global scale.
In the film "Giant," Ingle is portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, who expressed his gratitude for being selected for the role. He remarked, "It was a huge undertaking. I was wooed by the script. I love the story. I invested my time and studies looking at Brendan, reading the books and just constantly living with Brendan Ingle." Brosnan, drawing from his own experiences as an Irish immigrant in England, felt a personal connection to Ingle's journey, noting, "Being an Irishman myself and knowing what it's like to be an immigrant and come to England when I was 11 years of age in 1964, trying to assimilate, trying to fit in, I could identify with Brendan trying to be the man he was back in the day."
The actor continued, "There was that identification for me in the part and the religion of the man; he was a saintly man in many respects, in the sense that he created a community and an enclave for young men who were rattling around in life and not knowing where to go. He gave them that passion and love of life and discipline of life. For me, there was a strong empathy to the man."
Amir El-Masry takes on the role of Hamed, and as someone who admired the boxer growing up, he found the opportunity both thrilling and nerve-wracking. He described the challenge, saying, "Massive boots to fill and what an incredible honour to play him. He was a hero of mine growing up. It was no mean feat. It was one thing wanting to get the job and another thing having to do it!" El-Masry underwent rigorous training, dedicating four weeks and 12 hours a day in the gym to prepare for the role. "We studied his fights religiously. Because he was a hero of mine, it was incredibly stressful. But we got there. I'm so proud of what we've made. The fight scenes look incredible."
To discover how the compelling relationship between Naseem Hamed and Brendan Ingle unfolds, make sure to catch "Giant," which is currently screening in UK cinemas.
