Win you rate higher.....Morales over Pacquiao or Barrera over Hamed?

I've seen this a 100 times.

If Hamed opens up more, he gets hit more often and harder. He was clipped with a huge left hook in the very opening round. That would account for his reluctance to attack from that point onwards. Every time he tried he lead, he ended up getting countered embarrassingly, and looking like a fish out of water. What would a motivated Hamed have done differently?

 

Im of the opinion a fully motivated, trained and prepared Hamed wouldnt be able to do a lot differently, Barrera clearly had the answer for his style.

The main thing Id note on the fight is I actually dont think Barrera gets the credit he deserves. People because of the fight just assume that any world class fighter would beat Hamed, most of the time saying 'easily' etc. completely missing the point that not only do you have to be as good or nearly as good as Barrera youd have to fight a disciplined intelligent fight like he did. Not many boxers capable of that at all.

Was posting that video to answer your question of why people say he wasnt motivated for the fight. His prep looks like a joke at times but like I say I dont think itd make that much difference anyway, Barreras better and had the style and know how to beat him.

 

Good post.

Naseem Hamed never came back from the Barrera defeat to vindicate himself, and therefore Boxing fans today are unwilling to give him the benefit of the doubt. Lora, a respected and intelligent poster, simply said that he was crap. This is somewhat puzzling. I don't agree with him.

The Little Prince, Big Fight documentary isn't all that compelling evidence to support the notion that he was unmotivated and disinterested. I could produce an interview here right now where Hamed confirms that during his supposed peak he was receiving little to no training at all, and would have to wrap his own hands in the gym because nobody else was there to aid him.

 

I was joking.

My honest opinion of him probably matches up with yours, he was about on par with a Zamora or Danny Lopez.maybe a notch below becasuse of his suspect heart and will to win.

 

My bad, Lora. I don't know when you're joking or not.

I think Hamed was slightly greater than Zamora, he exhibited better longevity, and would have beaten him h2h in my opinion. The margins are thin, though.