These two actually crossed paths in the rankings at bantamweight. Canizales was #1 this year, Hamed #5. Canizales was a superb bantamweight and Hamed was pretty inexperienced at this point in his career, but he had that speed an that unorthodox style - got it have busted up Canizales' rhythm?
The way beat Hamed was to counter punch him when he was off balance after he threw and over committed to power shots, Canizales would have done this and his footwork was far better than Hamed`s also so Naz would find him hard to hit.
Hamed was supremely confident, even that stage of his career. By the end of '94 he would consolidate and perhaps punctuate his reputation as a puncher, with a stoppage win over Freddy Cruz. I still think he would have been a tad too green for Canizales, though - who had next-level footwork and, at times, a control of distance that was almost supernatural. I don't think he ever lost as a Bantam and the scoring of his SD loss to Vazquez at 122, leaves a lot to be desired. That, and he was never stopped. I think Canizales would be the one creating angles on and confusing Hamed, at this point. He was just too seasoned and disciplined to be daunted by the young Prince - unorthodoxy or no.
Great post M_M. I do think Canizales was slightly on the way down by 94 but he would still have been too much for Hamed.
Yes. The point at which Canizales himself had reached in his career did cross my mind. I believe he may have been struggling a little with 118 by '94 - but, as you say, he would still have been too much for Hamed.
