Boxing
Prince Naseem Hamed doesn't appear to be a Ben Whittaker fan
Benavidez vs. Zurdo: Watch on DAZN PPV - May 2
Who had a Prince Naseem Hamed - Ben Whittaker feud on their bingo card?
Comparisons have made about the two because of their fighting styles and charisma inside the ring. Things started up though on April 13 when Whittaker was shown a video by Hamed ahead of his first-round knockout of Braian Suarez last Saturday. Hamed said he wanted "The Surgeon" to become a world champion one day.
"I respect him," Whittaker said.
"A lot of people always say, 'Did you get it from Nas?' Truthfully no. I never actually watched Prince Naseem fight. I grew up in a house where (I'm) not saying he's not a pugilist but I watched pugilists. My dads me watch Pernell Whittaker, Tommy Hearns, Willy Pep, all these fighters. So me, I grew up on classic fighting.
"I grew up with like real boxing. Even a Winky Wright. He was one of my favorites and he doesn't box like me at all. But his jab was beautiful. His guard was good. So I grew up on real boxing foundation. But my style was this flamboyant. I've been flamboyant since I was a kid. I'd go to school, wear a uniform, like my shirt a certain way, cut my hair a certain way. I'd pull up my own drip. And I took that into boxing. And that's who I am. But what he did in his career was great and to give those words, I appreciate it."
During an appearance on Talksport on Thursday, Whittaker (11-0-1, 8 KOs) was brought up. Hamed didn't take too kindly to Whittaker's comments to DAZN to the point where the former world champion refused to mention the rising star's name despite host Simon Jordan trying to get him to talk about the young Brit.
"I ain't got no take on it whatsoever," Hamed told Jordan. "Do you know why? First of all, we are far, far apart in ability and in skill. And the world knows that.
"The second thing is before I came here, I said to one of my best mates, I said to Spence, 'I'm not talking about him. He doesn't deserve me to speak about him.'"
"Why?" Jordan asked
"I'm not talking about him," Hamed retorted.
"But why do you not like him as a fighter?" Jordan shot back. "Do you not like his style?
"I've said what I've had to say about him before right?," Hamed responded. "I've said to you I'm not talking about him. He doesn't deserve my voice."
