On Saturday, October 11, 1997, Naseem Hamed successfully defended his WBO World Featherweight Title for the 8th time and his IBF bauble for the 3rd time against Puerto Rican contender Jose Badillo at Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England. The match was promoted by Sports Network and featured an impressive undercard, headlined by Joe Calzaghe vs. Chris Eubank. Hamed entered the ring with an unbeaten record of 27-0-0, while Badillo held a 20-1-0 record.
From the beginning, Hamed showcased his exceptional skills and confidence, dominating the fight and keeping Badillo on the defensive. Throughout the match, Hamed displayed his trademark flamboyance, taunting Badillo and even attempting an Ali shuffle in the fifth round. The fight took an unusual turn when the fifth round ended a full minute early, but it did not affect the outcome.
In the seventh round, Hamed intensified his attack, landing powerful left hands that wobbled Badillo and caused his nose to bleed. It was evident that the challenger was struggling to keep up with Hamed's relentless pace and precision. At 1:37 of the seventh round, Badillo's corner intervened, entering the ring and throwing in the towel to stop the fight. The referee, Mike Ortega, declared Hamed the winner by TKO.
This victory was considered one of Hamed's finest performances.
