Is Prince Naseem Hamed an ATG?

[FlatLine]

he had all the potential and natural ability to become an ATG but unfortunately he just relied too much on that natural ability and didn't train properly. He took Barrera very lightly and hardly trained decently for that fight.

It could have all been different if Hamed had stuck to his dedication and training, but he was just over-confident. Ever since he went over to the US, his training ethos took a major dip, and even at 40% he'd still beat almost anyone - except a great like Barrera.

[P4P_No1]

One of the most entertaining boxers and devastating punchers I've ever seen.

Such a shame that personal issues, his dam hands and the fact he lost interest in the sport towards the end. He could have gone down as an all time great. Dude was a beast.

In terms of British boxers that I've seen, he's right after Lennox at no2 on the best ever.

[Juof]

He shouldn't of retired so early

[BennyST]

nope only hof name he has is MAB and he lost terribly.

Actually.....He did beat Wilfredo Vasquez (yes, I know, toward the end), who should get in (certainly a lot more deserving than guys I hear talked about today as HOFers, like Hatton, Froch, Corrales etc) and Manuel Medina who is the only other fighter in history to equal Ray Robinson's long time record of being a six time champ in one division. Not saying Medina should, but certainly Vasquez should and is more deserving than many today that get talked of as such. Tom Johnson was also an excellent champion.

Hamed gets both overrated and underrated. He beat a lot of very, very good fighters. The best guy he faced beat him rather well though, as the underdog. Nonetheless, he ruled the division briefly and beat some great fighters very well. Excellent fighter and certain HOFer....ATG? No.

[Walt Liquor]

The to pages of opinions I have read here show me how often fans who really know nothing about real boxing want to express themselves on paper. Only one poster had it right.

Hamed ruled the featherweights like a king, and basically for years was completely unbeatable He had a very unusual and almost comical style which left him open to taking a few punches, but he always got up and demolished his opponent.

It's a fact that Marquez and Morales refused to come to England for career highest purses to face him, There were also another 2 top guys whose names I've forgotten. I remember Larry Merchant going into it rather deeply and analytically one time, and I've read several articles about it. It was well talked about then. What you guys are dribbling is like the myth that Marquez liked to spread...that he'd never lost a fight-when he'd already lost at least 3. He talked about being robbed against Chris John. Well....I read the report of the boxing journalist who travelled there to cover the fight and he reported that Marquez was well beaten. Just yesterday, on another boxing site I read a deep article by Greg Leon, which in the course of it, mentioned that he actually saw that fight, and Marquez lost very comfortably, that John was a very good fighter..... His closest fight was with Kevin Kelley, whom he KO'd in 4 being down twice himself.

And, if you guys had ever bothered to really delve into boxing, you would have learned that Hamed had the most brittle hands on record. They almost crumbled by looking at them. His power was so huge that he routinely broke his hands, and eventually, after losing interest in the last 3 years of his career, quit because of it. It was much publcised at the time, and he's been talking about it for a very long time. He used to show pictures of his hands and they were truly gruesome.
And THAT's why he retired.

All this is very well known to real boxing people, and I don't know why you guys don't know this, why can't you talk about what you know, not about what you feel or heard some crapper report. There's a lot more behind careers and fights which, although discussed, are not hammered to death, so you never came across them. Maybe you could look up, "why Hamed retired" or "Naseem Hamed's hands", you know better than I how to research internet.

He was completely uninterested in the Barrera fight, didn't train at all, his trainer, with whom he fell out over it, reported all this to the newspapers etc.
He lost 116-112 on all 3 cards, hardly a real beating, but humbling for an ego like his....but by then he didn't care. And remember, he was only a really little guy.
So...go and learn..

Lol, this doesnt make him an atg. Means he fell short of his potential, which is true.

[BennyST]

And, if you guys had ever bothered to really delve into boxing, you would have learned that Hamed had the most brittle hands on record. They almost crumbled by looking at them. His power was so huge that he routinely broke his hands, and eventually, after losing interest in the last 3 years of his career, quit because of it. It was much publcised at the time, and he's been talking about it for a very long time. He used to show pictures of his hands and they were truly gruesome.
And THAT's why he retired.

So...go and learn..

Actually, Jeff Fenech, for one, had worse hands. Retired twice because of it during his prime. So, you know....go learn something.

[yoz]

No way! Not a chance.

[BOLLOCKS]

Nah, but he could have been had he not retired so early.

Then again he helped make midget boxing mainstream, for that he deserves to be in teh HOF moar than teh likes of Sylvester Stallone imo.

[denium]

Naz was one of the few boxers who could knock people out cold with both hands.

[Roy Jones Jnr]

Want a quick way to spot a Boxing ******? Find out their opinion on Prince Naseem.

Whilst i think an ATG he is not, the way his resume is underrated on here is just laughable.

He completely dominated his division for god knows how long and beat all the top guys in his division during his reign.

By the time Barrera came along Hamed was finished. Not finished physically but finished mentally. He just completely lost interest in the fight game and was too busy partying in mansions whilst Barrera was running in the mountains.

Theirs video proof of this. This isn't just my opinion. Watch the documentary ''little prince big fight'' and tell me if that looks like a man preparing correctly for the biggest fight of his life.

Also you'd think he got KO'd in the 1st round the way people go on about his loss to MAB. Just because they see a few funny looking pictures of Hamed flailing about and think OMGZZZZ that must mean Barrera dominated him without actually knowing **** all about Hamed or watching the fight. Hamed always looked daft when he was caught with a punch because of how unorthodox his style was.

Another thing to bear in my mind was how un Mexican(yeah yeah i know many Mexicans fighters are highly skilled Boxers and not just brawlers but im on about the common perception of Mexican fighters) Barrera fought against Hamed which of course is no slight on MAB, huge credit goes to MAB for that as it was most certainly the correct gameplan and one which got him the win. Barrera knew you couldn't have a gunfight with Hamed, as there would only be one winner. Hamed had freakish power for a Featherweight.

I know the majority on here are upset that he didn't end up broke fighting till his mid 40's with loads of losses on his career, rather a multi millionaire living it large to this day with his fat arse in Dubai

But did he make the right choice? As a fight fan i say no as even a uninterested version of Hamed would have made some great fights against the likes of Morales and Marquez but on the other hand i look at it like that version of Hamed most likely would lose against the likes of Morales etc so maybe he made the right choice if his heart wasn't in Boxing anymore.

He lost the love for Boxing long before he ever stepped into the ring with Barrera. That's not hindsight speaking, thats the truth. Many British journalists called it before the Barrera fight, that Hamed was not respecting the sport and not giving it his all. He made his bed and he had to lie in it. You can't get away with anything less that 110% against someone like Barrera, no matter who you are.

Anyhow that's a different discussion altogether and wether any version of Hamed would have beat MAB is wide open for debate.

IMO a ATG has to be judged on his resume. And Hamed's resume is not strong enough to make him an ATG. This however doesn't mean Hamed fought a bunch of cab drivers till he fought Barrera. Look at his resume, study up on it. There is some solid wins, the best guys around at the time. He ruled his division for around 6 years, never ducking or dodging anybody.

Finally to anyone who still hates him to this day, it's you who is the one that is missing out. He was great for the sport of Boxing. Pure entertainment. I highly doubt his fat arse gives a flying **** what anyone thinks about him and nor should he given hes been retired for so long. Look past your hate and watch his fights, he was great entertainment. I highly doubt we'll ever see another like him.