Barrera backs Hamed return

Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera has backed Naseem Hamed’s stated intention to return to the ring nearly five years after outclassing the ’Prince’ in Las Vegas.

Hamed and Barrera greeted each other with a warm embrace when they met for the first time since their April 2001 clash at ringside for Ricky Hatton’s world light-welterweight title fight in Sheffield on Saturday.

Barrera looked to have effectively ended Hamed’s top-level career after his one-sided victory, with the Sheffield star boxing only once since in an ill-received comeback against Manuel Calvo.

But Hamed – present at the Hatton fight primarily to watch his friend, featherweight prospect Bilal Dib on the undercard – insists after his long lay-off he is making plans for a new year return.

And Barrera said: “I never thought I would end his career because he was still a great fighter at that time.

“Unfortunately it was very hard for him to have a loss. But Naseem still has a lot to give and there are a lot of fans who want to see him fight.”

In contrast to Hamed’s inactivity Barrera has gone on to also claim versions of the world super-featherweight title and intends to bid for the IBF lightweight crown in March.

Hamed had nothing to say about his supposed comeback on the night although he did look in much trimmer shape than recent newspaper photographs had suggested.

He was more eager to sing the praises of Australian featherweight Dib, who polished off Manchester’s Imad Khamis on points on the undercard to extend his unbeaten record to 10 fights.

Hamed said: “Bilal is still developing but I believe he has the ability to become world champion one day.”