Prince Naseem Hamed retained his WBO featherweight title by knocking out American Kevin Kelley in a sensational fight at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Hamed hit the canvas himself in the first, second and fourth rounds before he knocked out New Yorker Kelley after two minutes 27 seconds of round four.

Kelley dominated the early exchanges with fast hands and looked set to out-box Hamed at one point. However, just when Hamed's aura of invicibility looked shattered, Hamed won the championship with a tremendous left hook.

Hamed's win was not perhaps in the way he would have hoped for, but in the end it was the extra power that won him the fight.

After the match, Hamed, 23, said that it was "probably the best fight I have ever boxed". He added that fighting Kelley was the toughest challenge of his career.

"Even though I got hit with some good shots, I came back. I've come to America and I've proved myself," he said.

Prince Naseem Hamed laughed off suggestions that he was ever in trouble during the dramatic fight.

Hamed said: "I wanted to cause a fight and create some excitement. It was my first fight and I wanted to show people I could take it.

"All due respect to Kevin but I wanted to take him out and show all my skill. I had to take some shots. I took his shots but did he take mine?

"I got straight up when he caught me - that's the heart of a lion, a champion's heart.

"I came to America, I proved myself, I'm 29-0. What more can I say? I know I'm the best he has boxed and he said that. I've got great respect for him but at the end of the day I'm the champion of the world."

In the first round Hamed paid the penalty for a lapse in concentration when he let his guard slip and the American caught him with a right hook to the face.

In round two Kelley caught Hamed with a left hook which once again saw the champion go down.

However, Hamed stormed back and sent Kelley down for five counts. In round three, Hamed started the round quickly but he took another blow to his chin and looked in trouble.

Kelley caught the champion with his leading right but Hamed replied immediately with a short left and a double right hand as he tried to take charge.

In round four, Hamed sent a huge left hook to Kelley's chin which sent him down for a second time but then had to take a standing count himself.

Hamed charged back and landed with the decisive left hook which won him the match.

The fight was Hamed's ninth defence of his title and the his first fight in America.

Hamed said before the match that he hoping to knock out Kelley in the first round.

Kelley, 30, the hometown fighter from Queens dubbed The Flushing Flash, was a former WBC titleholder at the weight.

After the match, a disappointed Kelley said he wasn't too impressed with Hamed's style. "He is not as good as he says he is," he said.
 

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