Former World Champion Herbie Hide Arrested,
Accused Of Punching Plain Clothes Policeman!
(January 5th) Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom, former two time, WBO World Heavyweight Champion, Herbie Hide is currently facing legal proceedings in his home county of Norfolk.
Hide, 54, appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on January 3rd, 2026, charged with assaulting a police officer. The allegation relates to an incident said to have occurred earlier that day at Hide’s gated home in Bawburgh, Norfolk.
Prosecutors allege that a plain-clothes police officer, part of an unmarked police vehicle team, was punched in the face while on Hide’s property as the officer was returning to the vehicle. Hide entered a plea of “definitely not guilty.”
In court, Hide stated that an unidentified man had entered his property and was speaking to his children without clearly identifying himself as a police officer, leaving him feeling alarmed. His solicitor argued that any homeowner could feel threatened by unidentified individuals refusing to explain their presence.
Hide was released on unconditional bail, with magistrates citing significant court backlogs. The trial is scheduled to take place on December 9th, 2026.
Born Herbert Okechukwu Maduagwu on August 27, 1971, in Amauzari, Nigeria, Hide moved to England as a child and was raised in Norfolk. He took up boxing as a teenager and compiled a notably brief amateur career record of 8–2, 7Ko’s including winning a silver medal at the 1989 Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Championships, where he lost a points decision in the final to Dulwich, London, fellow future WBO heavyweight champion, Henry Akinwande.
Heading to the pro ranks later that year, winning his pro debut October 24th with a second-round knockout of Blackwood, Wales, Lee Williams. Unbeaten in his next 24 bouts, Hide gaining the moniker “The Dancing Destroyer,” he became one of Britain’s most recognizable heavyweight boxers of the 1990s, capturing his first WBO Heavyweight title in 1994, knocking out and effectively retiring Brooklyn, New York’s, favored Michael Bentt in seven rounds.
In 1995, making the first defense of his world title, in a remarkable Hide demonstration of resilience against Brooklyn, New York’s, Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe, rose after each of the first six but could not recover from the seventh ending the bout in round six.
Stopping veterans Michael Murray and Frankie Swindell in his next contest contests Hide regained the WBO title in 1997, stopping former champion Tony Tucker in two rounds. During his second reign, Hide recorded one of the fastest heavyweight title defenses on record, knocking out Damon Reed in under a minute. His championship run ended in 1999 when he was stopped in the second round by Vitali Klitschko in London.
Throughout his career, Hide often faced much larger, elite heavyweights, yet earned a reputation for his exceptional speed and footwork. His boxing journey came to an end in 2010, though not in the way most envisioned.
During the quarter-final of the Prizefighter cruiserweight tournament on April 30th, Hide suffered a severe cut in the second round. Although he secured a six-round unanimous decision victory over Wayne Brooks of Cardiff, Wales, he made the strategic choice to withdraw from the tournament that evening. This decision protected both his health—preventing the cut from worsening—and his career standing, as continuing could have resulted in a technical loss that would have damaged his high ranking.
While the cut forced his withdrawal from Prizefighter, it was a series of legal troubles that emerged shortly afterward which truly ended his time in the ring. Hide retired with an impressive record of 49 wins and 4 losses, including 43 victories by knockout—a testament to his power and skill throughout a distinguished career.
Away from the ring, Hide’s life has included several high-profile legal incidents. In 2013, he was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine following a sting operation conducted by undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, widely known as the “Fake Sheikh.” Hide was sentenced to 22 months in prison, later reduced to 18 months on appeal, after judges acknowledged an element of entrapment.
Following Mahmood’s later conviction for perverting the course of justice, Hide sought to overturn his own conviction. Although Mahmood was jailed, Hide’s conviction was not formally quashed, remaining a point of controversy in discussions around journalistic entrapment.
In 2012, a fatal stabbing occurred during a party at Hide’s home while he was absent. Hide was not implicated in the incident.
Currently, Hide released on unconditional bail remains awaiting trial on the assault charge and continues to deny wrongdoing, maintaining that his actions were driven by concern for his family’s safety. The case is expected to return to court in late 2026.
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