Sheffield boxing icon Prince Naseem Hamed has launched a scathing attack on a new cinematic portrayal of his life, dismissing the film Giant as largely fabricated and 'pure fiction'.
Hamed's Stinging Critique of the Biopic
The former featherweight world champion, who became Britain's youngest-ever world champion in 1995 after beating Steve Robinson in Cardiff, stated he had zero input into the project. The film, which was released in cinemas, focuses on Hamed's famed partnership and subsequent bitter fallout with his late trainer, Brendan Ingle, but is told from the Irishman's perspective.
"I don't want to go through everything that's wrong with this film," Hamed told the Mirror. "It has some good moments and some bad moments... But to watch a film that's done about you and your trainer, it's not easy to watch when you've had no input whatsoever."
He revealed he only saw the finished product, making the viewing process difficult. Hamed estimates that a staggering 80 to 90 percent of the film's content is 'just made up', crafted to generate interest rather than depict reality. "It's all scripted," he asserted, treating it as a Hollywood product separate from his real-life experiences.
Plans for a Comeback with a 'Truthful' Documentary
Having maintained a low profile since retiring from boxing in 2002, Hamed is now poised for a major return to the public eye. He announced plans to set the record straight with his own definitive documentary series.
"Watch what's coming, because I'm going to do a documentary series, God willing better than The Last Dance with Michael Jordan," Hamed declared. He named Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg as a key driving force behind the project, who is reportedly "desperate" to be involved due to his love for boxing.
Hamed intends to use this as a springboard for a wider venture, which will include an autobiography and an audiobook. He even hinted at lucrative touring opportunities, saying, "If you can get on stage and give fans the life and times of your career and make just as much money as you did fighting in the ring, that time is going to come."
The Legacy and the Fallout
The latter part of Prince Naseem Hamed's glittering career was overshadowed by a well-documented and acrimonious financial dispute with Brendan Ingle. This rift forms the central dramatic conflict of the Giant film, which Hamed now vehemently disputes.
While choosing not to list every inaccuracy, the boxing legend made his position clear: he wants the public to know his version of events is forthcoming. "The time has passed where we had a break and stayed out of the media," Hamed stated. "This has brought us back in and we're going to town again."
For now, fans of the flamboyant champion are presented with two competing narratives: the cinematic interpretation in Giant, and the promised firsthand account from the man himself, which he vows will reveal the truth.
