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Pastimes : Boxing: The Sweet Science -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LPS5 who wrote (2494)	3/29/2001 9:31:47 AM
From: LPS5	Respond to of 10489

'I Haven't Seen My Kids For Eight Week - Barrera Will Pay For This' Fighter and trainer: "Naz is learning a new style for this fight; Barrera will be surprised" (skysports.com exclusive with Hamed's trainer Oscar Suarez) Naseem's daily schedule It's hard to imagine Naseem Hamed living like a monk, thinking like a philosopher and eating like a Mexican. There's nothing like a genuine challenge to focus the mind however. Such is the importance of his upcoming fight with Marco Antonio Barrera in the early hours of April 8, Naz is in the mood for sacrifice. That's why he is thousands of miles away from his family - at a place where you run four miles before breakfast and forced to turn off your bedroom lights at ten o'clock at night. Oscar Suarez, Naz's trainer for the Barrera fight in Las Vegas, has given skysports.com a fascinating insight into how Naseem is shaping up for the most dangerous fight of his life. Despite 35 wins in 35 fights, only victory against Barrera - a genuine Mexican tough-nut - will make Naz's claim that he is a boxing legend seem plausible. Only by pushing himself can 27-year-old Naz be certain of victory. He is 4/11 favourite. "No other fighter can knock people out while flying through the air." Suarez, who hails from Puerto Rico, and Sheffield's finest have been holed up together for the past eight weeks at a secluded desert training camp just outside Palm Springs, California. "Naz is out by seven o'clock in the morning to run a few miles in the mountains. Then, it's a pure protein breakfast, a nice walk and sleep, and four hours in the gym in the afternoon," reveals Suarez. After-dark isn't any less serious for the nightclub-loving Naseem. "We spend the evenings watching boxing videos, seeing what Barrera can do. Then it's bedtime by 10. "Naz hasn't seen his wife and kids (he has two) for eight weeks. It's cutting him up and he keeps telling me Barrera will suffer for this." In such isolation, Naz and Suarez have formed an almost-brotherly relationship. "Naz is a Moslem and I am a Christian. When we are out walking in the mornings looking at the beautiful scenery, we talk about God a lot," says Suarez. "The only break Naz has from training or thinking about the fight is to go to the local Mosque. "Despite his bravado, Naseem always thinks about his opponent. But he believes in God first and foremost. He believes God has given him the strength to be a pure winner. "He's never spent so long locked away preparing for a fight. He is suffering and I think Barrera will pay. I've been with Naz two years, what impresses me is his desire and hunger to learn. Not what I expected, I had heard about his image and thought he wouldn't listen to anybody. "The only break from boxing at the moment is the Mosque" Suarez has drafted in two world champions with similar styles to Barrera to help Naz prepare. The 39-year-old coach says the world will see a new Naseem - and the American public will love it. "Naz is already an original because no other fighter has his range of shot. He can knock you out virtually on the canvas or knock you out flying through the air," he says. "But he has never learned to knock people out as a counter-puncher until now. "A lot of Mexicans will come up to Vegas for Barrera but Naz will have plenty of friends inside the MGM. The Americans, and Mexicans for that matter, love a showman who is also a winner. Someone who can talk the talk and then walk the walk. "If Naz is booed, it won't affect him. But I think people will be surprised by the support he's going to get. When he is on his training runs around Palm Springs, the Hispanics shout Naseem, Naseem as he runs past them. They love him. "Naz is one of the biggest six draws in boxing along with Lennox Lewis, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosely etc. If he beats Barrera in style, he could be the very biggest draw." And what about the Mexican eating? "It's true, Naz has developed a liking for Spanish and Hispanic food. His cook Maggie does as many Mexican dishes as European ones. And his mushroom omelettes have to have Spanish-style seasoning on them now," says Suarez. THE PRINCE'S DAILY SCHEDULE (as told by trainer Oscar Suarez) 6:30am: Wake-up time and straight out road running. He was doing four to five miles but I've cut it down to three-and-a-half miles a day now. Running on the mountain is hard - I want him sharp for the gym. 8:30am: Shower, then breakfast. Pure protein breakfasts, Naz likes mushroom omelettes with special Spanish-style seasoning. 9:30am: A walk around the camp. We talk about God a lot. We are both spiritual guys and there are plenty of the beautiful wonders of God to look at; nature, desert, trees. 11:00am: Naz often goes to the mosque. Then, he can have a sleep or a rest when he comes back. 3:30pm: Three hours gym work. Naz likes to have the music on while he is working The sparring is great - we have brought in a couple of fighters who are stronger and faster than Barrera. We are working hard on Naz's counter-punching. We expect Barrera to comes forward on fight night, it is his style. When he does, he is going to get a surprise. 7:00pm: Naz has something to eat. Then we have a nice English cup of tea and talk about Barrera. Analyse his style, watch his previous fights on video. I asked Naz one night if he fancied watching some golf video instead. He said he wasn't interested in anything other than boxing right now. 10pm: Sleep-time. I don't think Naz misses the bright lights; when he was younger he was out partying. Now he is more concerned about his family. They are flying out to see him in the next week.