Naseem Hamed

If the motivated Naseem Hamed fought Marco Antonio Barrera that night, i still believe Barrera would have won clearly, it would have been a bit closer on the cards possibly and he could/would have hurt Marco a few times if he used his power with more skill, but the thing is, NO MATTER WHAT % Of Naseem Hamed shown up that night, Barrera would have fooled him, he CHANGED his style altogether against Hamed, he would have still managed to take a decision, 115-112, but Hamed would have make it tougher because he would have used more skill instead of relying on power constantly.

 

I definately think he was highly talented theres no question about that. He ruined his career for himself similar to Tyson in the US by letting fame get to his head and apparently relying on his skills too much rather than working hard. Unforunately we will always be wondering what might have been, personally I believe he had the talent to become a multi-weight world champ and ATG. Head to head prime for prime I think Hamed gives Barrera a much tougher fight and very probably wins.

 

What the Americans think is neither here nor there really; they would only be judging him on a couple of fights

He was a ludicrously talented fighter but I suppose with that style, you'll always find someone who's own style works against it

He should have achieved more perhaps but I think he just peaked quite young

 

Very valid and fair assessment from The Bang, but I tend to agree more with Essexboy.
What is easy to forget is most of Hamed's success came very, very early for him. He was still in his early 20's. I believe if his dedication, motivation or whatever you want to call it was maintained, he would have only got better with the more experience he got over the years.
Unfortunately, whilst acquiring that experience he also let things slide in his dedication and discipline for the sport.

If the 2001 version of Naz had maintained the same levels of focus and discipline as the 1995 version, I believe he could have gone on to achieve ATG status. Bear in mind whilst Barrera beat Naz clearly, it wasn't an absolute one sided pasting in which Hamed suffered a beating. And this was a Naz that was so arrogant to the point where he didn't feel the need to prepare 100% for Barrera, just as long as his hair looked ok, his dance moves were cool, etc. A Naz who pretty much had this attitude for a number of years prior to the fight.
If Naz had approached the Barrera fight with the same fire he had for the Robinson fight, but now with 5 or 6 more years of experience in world class opposition, I think the result would have been different.

It's a shame, but it's my personal belief the only thing that stopped Naz from becoming an ATG was Naz himself. A man who dominated and unified (in effect) the featherweight division, but let his ego and arrogance eclipse his discipline.

 

Barerra beats him. I just don't see Hamed beating Barerra, or Morales for that matter.

 

A MAB vs Naz trilogy would have been one of the ATG match ups ever, unfortunatly he gave up after that loss, and for some reason it's always remembered as a one sided beat down.....but he only lost by a few points

 

Couldnt agree with you more here, he felt Invincable, maybe if he had suffered a loss earlier in his career he would have thought ''i have to prove people that im not what they think, im not a fraud'', but the problem was: He'd already achieved World Status, fame, millions in terms of currency, he had a wife and kids, he didnt need to, he'd ''made it''. We look at guys like Amir Khan for the obvious example, who lost and were ''exposed'' early on but then only gained more hunger from the loss, even Khan had the whole ''Invincable, Unbeaten'' fighter hype around him, but because he suffered a loss so early, it only helped cause he had a point to prove, But when your like Naseem and lose for the first time when your already at the top, why continue when your hearts not in it and you've achieved alot anyway? He could have done alot more though, he was only 27-28 when he retired.

 

a 100% motivated Naz beats any featherweight in history.

also the big problem with naz was that he should have been a bantamweight at the most. he only went up cos there was no cash in the lower weights.

 

American perceptions of Naz are pretty skewed. I've found it to be the subject on which they are the most closed minded. "He's a hype job fraud, all he ever did was lose to Barrera" - that kind of thing.

The reality is, Hamed was a very good fighter, a very good champion, and he had a very good career. It could have been better, it could have been worse. It just is what it is.

I think Naz could compete at the elite level. He took a few rounds off Barrera, who was KO'd and beat by much lesser fighters than the Prince.

 

If Naz would have copped MAB he would have KO'd him.... MAB boxed a punch perfect fight on the outside all night long.... a perfect strategy to disarm Naz's power... If Naz boxed MAB 100 times he would lose 100 times IMO...:yep

 

Prime Hamed would have beaten Barerra. He was managed awfully which led to his motivational issues. He peaked in the Robinson fight. Every fight after that was pretty much inferior and he moved up to Featherweight too early.

 

Naz would have beat Barrera if they fought in 1996.

 

I think of it in the following way: A lazy ill prepared Naz went a full 12 with MAB. I dread to think what he would have done to MAB if he had prepared properly. How many other boxers at that time could have peed about whilst preparing for the fightr and gone 12?

 

Barrera, Marquez, Morales and Pac all beat him. I'd love to claim otherwise but that would seem to be the case IMO.