Steward threatens to quit Hamed

Hamed took a beating from Barrera

Naseem Hamed's trainer Emanuel Steward has threatened to quit the fighter's camp unless he gets his way with training methods.

Steward has already made detailed criticisms of Hamed's preparations for his fight against Marco Antonio Barrera in his exclusive column for BBC Sport Online.

But, while preparing for Lennox Lewis' heavyweight title defence in South Africa, he has now demanded radical changes, not least to the personnel around Hamed.

He told BBC boxing correspondent John Rawling that unless Hamed's approach differs, he will not only lose the rematch against Barrera, but he will be knocked out as well.

The truth is that the top fighters have worked Naz out

  Emanuel Steward

Steward said: "If Naz wants me to still be involved, then I must be given complete control on every aspect of his training.

"Whenever his next fight is, that has to be the situation, otherwise I quit.

"Unless Naz makes radical changes to his schedule, the way he works, and the people he has around him, Barrera will knock him out," Steward added.

"Barrera could have done it last time, and he knows Naz was not good enough as a boxer to get to him."

Steward's comments come after more than a week of veiled criticism, in which he bore the brunt of the blame for Hamed's defeat.

Hamed has persisted in employing Pueto Rican Oscar Suarez as his day-to-day trainer, with Steward used more as a tactical guru.

Hamed's relationship with Steward is strained

Steward reiterated that it was the decision of Hamed's camp to train in Palm Springs, a venue Steward thought was not suitable.

He wanted Hamed to train near Las Vegas, where he was already working with Lewis.

He has also criticised the quality of Hamed's sparring partners.

"Top-class sparring costs money, but you need it for a fighter like Barrera. I was getting word that Marco was in great shape. Naz needed to be working with the best.

"The truth is that the top fighters have worked him out. To beat men like Barrera, you need strategy and tactics and Naz did not have them in Las Vegas."