HE'S MORE THAN SELF-PROMOTION.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Boxing

Naseem Hamed talks as good a game as any fighter in the world.

He'll tell you how no one possesses the power he does, how his ability is ``unique,'' how no one really has much of a chance of beating him in or around his weight class.

However, while he truly believes it, that's merely part of his wildly successful self-promotion. In more candid moments, the little Briton serves up a satisfying mix of typical hyperbole and refreshing honesty that could endear him even to those who'd like to see his head knocked off.

Hamed, who defends his featherweight championship against Augie Sanchez on Saturday in Foxwoods, Conn., sat with reporters in a Beverly Hills hotel meeting room and talked animatedly about what he has accomplished and what is yet to be done.

He has made more money than any fighter his weight has a right to make, which is the product of that self-promotion. He's the model after which other like-minded fighters pattern themselves.

His strategy isn't complicated: Get the attention of the fans, which he does in part with extravagant, if arrogant, ring entrances, Muhammad Ali-like brashness and a wacky, yet effective fighting style once he flips himself over the ropes.

Many fans don't take kindly to his shtick. They find it more obnoxious than amusing. And that's OK with him - as long as they watch.

``I love it,'' he said smiling. ``You see, I've always said that if people want me to lose, fine. If people want me to win, fine. If people are indifferent, I've got a problem.

``People have to be interested one way or another.''

In that sense, Hamed, 26, is pound for pound one of the greats of his generation: He has mastered marketing to the tune of millions of dollars of annual income. However, he admits that neither the money nor fame is enough. He doesn't want to retire merely wealthy and the king of self-promotion. He wants to walk away with the reputation of a great fighter.

Most observers believe he's a long way from that goal. A common criticism is he's made his fortune mostly against mediocre opposition or fighters moving up in weight to face him. His toughest opponent probably was an aging yet still-capable Kevin Kelley, who gave the Prince all he could handle.

Hamed admits in his own way they're right.

``Who comes into the ring with an unbelievable entrance, gets to the ring, does a front flip over the top rope, taken into consideration that he could roll over on his ankle and mess the whole fight up, Who does that?'' he said.

``And who takes his opponents out (after something like that)?. I don't know anyone in boxing today that brings that. I don't want to pat myself on the back or blow my own trumpet, and I need a big trumpet if I'm going to blow it.

``The main thing is that I feel I have a lot to prove. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot to learn and I know this.''

Obviously, a victory over a credible opponent is what Hamed (34-0, with 30 knockouts) needs.

Sanchez (26-1, 23 KOs) is capable. The Las Vegas resident has won 10 straight - nine by knockout - since his only loss. He's well-schooled and has a big left hand. However, a victory over Sanchez isn't going to propel Hamed to the next level of recognition. Marco Antonio Barrera might.

Hamed claims that he's been pursuing the highly regarded Erik Morales for two years but so far has met with rejection. However, things have a way of working out: Barrera lost a controversial decision to Morales to re-establish himself as an elite fighter and appears to be willing to move from 122 pounds to 126 to meet Hamed.

The two are negotiating to fight early next year. If it happens and Hamed wins, he will have taken a significant step in terms of his credibility in the ring.

``I watched the fight with (Morales) and Barrera,'' he said, ``and I really think Barrera won. Everyone else thinks Barrera won. I prefer to fight the guy who won the fight. I want to fight the best out there.

``. . . . The Barrera fight will happen,'' he said. ``It'll happen in March or in May. And I want it to happen because he's a great fighter. And, Morales, I'll probably beat him, too. Let me rephrase that. When I beat him, when I knock him out, then the boxing world will say this guy can really fight.

''That's all I want.''

Stamp act: Hamed, whose parents emigrated from Yemen to Sheffield, England, before he was born, apparently is a hero in much of the Arab world.

In Yemen, a country hardly known for its athletics, boxing participation has grown tremendous as a result of his popularity.

``There never, ever used to be boxing clubs in Yemen,'' he said. ``And all of a sudden there are boxing gyms all over Yemen.''

He's so well thought of there that his image now adorns postage stamps.

``When I get mail from Yemen,'' he said, ``I'm on the envelope.''

Counterpoint: Former junior middleweight champ David Reid took exception to Fernando Vargas' recent suggestion that Reid succumbed to the magnitude of his bout with Felix Trinidad in March, in which Reid lost a one-sided decision.

Said Vargas, who could fight Trinidad in December: ``He respected Trinidad too much.''

Reid's reaction? Respectful but firm.

``I don't respect nobody when I get into the ring,'' he said. ``. . . . They say fighters have big egos. Well, I have a big ego. I don't think anyone can beat me. I don't know why Vargas said that.

``When I fought Trinidad, things just didn't go my way. My game plan was to outpunch him, outwork him and I just got caught (with a big punch). That's when his experience took over.''

Reid, who hasn't fought since the Trinidad fight, had surgery again on his droopy eye last week. Doctors reportedly were pleased with the result.

He could fight again as early as November. He's moved up to 160 pounds.

Last Hamed: Antonio Diaz, one of the sport's rising stars, faces Mickey Ward in a 10-round junior welterweight bout on the Hamed-Sanchez undercard.

This isn't an automatic victory for Diaz. Ward is tough.

Holyfield-Ruiz: Take nothing away from John Ruiz, who came to fight against Evander Holyfield on Saturday in Las Vegas. However, time has taken away Holyfield's youth and clearly the end of his career is near.

At 37, he might have no more great performances in him. His showing Saturday, in which he barely beat a game but very limited opponent to win his record-fourth championship, would seem to indicate that.

He'll continue to fight, as heavyweight champions with ridiculous earning power do. And we'll always call him champ. He just can't expect us to consider him the great fighter he once was.

Rabbit punches: Ben Tackie, coming off a victory over Robert Garcia, faces another tough opponent in Freddie Pendleton in a 10-round junior welterweight bout on Friday on ESPN2. . . . On Sunday, Paea Wolfgramm faces Eliecer Castillo in a 10-round heavyweight bout in Bay St. Louis, Miss., on Fox Sports Net.

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Photo: (1 -- 3) Naseem Hamed, who is 34-0 with 30 knockouts, is so popular in his parents' native Yemen, he appears on postage stamps there. He defends his featherweight championship against Augie Sanchez on Saturday.