28 years ago

Date: 8th June 1996

Venue: Telewest Arena, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear

Title: WBO World Featherweight Title

Promoter: Sports Network

Tv: Sky Sports

Naseem Hamed
( 21 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 125¾ lbs

Daniel Alicea
( 15 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 125¾ lbs

On Saturday, 8th June 1996, a highly anticipated WBO World Featherweight Title bout took place at the Telewest Arena in Newcastle, England. The fight was between the reigning champion, 22-year-old Naseem Hamed of Sheffield, England, and undefeated challenger, 22-year-old Daniel Alicea from Santurce, Puerto Rico. Both fighters had impressive records going into the match, with Hamed at 21-0-0 and Alicea at 15-0-0. The event was promoted by Queensberry Promotions, and the referee for the match was Raul Caiz Sr.

In the first round, Hamed faced an unexpected setback when Alicea knocked him down for the first time in his professional career. However, the resilient British fighter managed to recover quickly. Hamed entered the second round prepared to turn the tide in his favor.

As the second round unfolded, Hamed began to showcase his trademark power and precision. He managed to knock Alicea down twice, asserting his dominance. With just 14 seconds left in the round, Hamed unleashed a devastating three-punch combination that ultimately sealed Alicea's fate.

The final left hook in Hamed's combination sent Alicea crashing onto his back, visibly hurt. Recognizing the severity of the situation, referee Raul Caiz Sr. immediately waved the fight off, declaring Hamed the winner by technical knockout (TKO) at 2:46 in round 2. This marked Hamed's second successful defense of his WBO World Featherweight Title.