I think this fight would have been pretty tense the whole way thru.
Both were power punchers, with 80% plus K.O. ratios. Naseem Hamed, a bit better at 84% and Acelino Freitas at 80-81%.
Hamed fought 185 rounds professionally, and finished with a record of 36 (31) - 1 (0) - 0. He beat Kevin Kelley (4KO), Wayne McCullough (12UD) and Augie Sanchez (4TKO). His sole loss came to Marco Antonio Barrera.
His best performance is hard to determine, but I'd go with Wayne McCullough. Boxed for once in his career and did pretty well against a guy who could REALLY take a punch.
As for Freitas, he put in 186 rounds of action. Finished with a record of 38 (32) - 2 (2) - 0. Had wins over Joel Casamayor (12UD), Jorge Barrios (12TKO), and Zahir Raheem (12SD). His only losses coming from Diego Corrales and Juan Diaz.
Now, don't give me the crap about Freitas being a quitter. He was a totally different fighter around 2001-2002. Don't gimme that shit about Hamed not training properly, he did train correctly at about 1999-2000.
Let's split the difference and say they fight at the tail end of 2000. Who do you think, and how/why?
Vote. Discuss.
I don't understand how SOME of you consider quitting after being dropped three times by DIEGO CORRALES, to be less passable than a guy not being motivated enough to train for a guy like MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA. Not to mention that Freitas quit after years of being in the limelight in Brasil, second only to Pele. Hamed just got cocky and lazy.
Not saying that either has an excuse, but honestly, whether you quit in the ring or in the gym, you quit.
Hamed is levels above Frietes in Heart, Power, Determination to be the best. Hamed didn't respect Barrera enough to prepare correctly for him. Barrera also fought the best fight of his life. Barrera outsmarted Hamed who expected Barrera trying to kinock him out not box. The only knock on Hamed is for him not wanting to fight on after that loss.
I don't understand how SOME of you consider quitting after being dropped three times by DIEGO CORRALES, to be less passable than a guy not being motivated enough to train for a guy like MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA. Not to mention that Freitas quit after years of being in the limelight in Brasil, second only to Pele. Hamed just got cocky and lazy.
Not saying that either has an excuse, but honestly, whether you quit in the ring or in the gym, you quit.
I was just thinking yesterday I would like to see Marquez-Freitas, too bad Freitas isn't active anymore.
Freitas fought similar to Marquez against Diaz, Marquez just has more heart and desire and toughed it out to win where as Freitas quit.
I would go for Hamed in this one, i would even give him the edge on power aswell. Freitas looked devastating against low level opposition but Naz seemed to take the power with him when he stepped up a level.
Naz ko in 4 or 5 rounds, i think he is one of the most gifted fighters the uk has ever produced. Its just a shame that the fame side got to him and he became to big for his boots.
I think this fight would have been pretty tense the whole way thru.
Both were power punchers, with 80% plus K.O. ratios. Naseem Hamed, a bit better at 84% and Acelino Freitas at 80-81%.
Hamed fought 185 rounds professionally, and finished with a record of 36 (31) - 1 (0) - 0. He beat Kevin Kelley (4KO), Wayne McCullough (12UD) and Augie Sanchez (4TKO). His sole loss came to Marco Antonio Barrera.
His best performance is hard to determine, but I'd go with Wayne McCullough. Boxed for once in his career and did pretty well against a guy who could REALLY take a punch.
As for Freitas, he put in 186 rounds of action. Finished with a record of 38 (32) - 2 (2) - 0. Had wins over Joel Casamayor (12UD), Jorge Barrios (12TKO), and Zahir Raheem (12SD). His only losses coming from Diego Corrales and Juan Diaz.
Now, don't give me the crap about Freitas being a quitter. He was a totally different fighter around 2001-2002. Don't gimme that shit about Hamed not training properly, he did train correctly at about 1999-2000.
Let's split the difference and say they fight at the tail end of 2000. Who do you think, and how/why?
Vote. Discuss.
Hamed hit a lot harder than Freitas P4P imo. Freitas was a big puncher, because he was not a natural SFW he used to kill himself to make the weight. Hamed on the other hand came up from bantamweight and was still knocking people out cold. Hamed hits like Julians Jackson P4P, where as Freitas hits more like a Nigel Benn, big puncher, but different levels.
I think The McCullough fight is one of Hamed's worst performances. Im surprised you picked out that as one of his more impressive. I would say Hamed's best performance is unquestionably the Steve Robinson fight, when he won the title.
Freitas should of lost to Casamayor, if it wasn't for a bullshit point deduction. Freitas was on his way to losing his fight with Barrios, but he scored a fight changing punch at the end of one of the late rounds that turned the fight.
I believe Hamed would of knocked Freitas out within 5 rounds. Freitas chin was not that reliable imo, because of the amount of weight he had to lose to make the SFW limit. Feather fisted Barry Jones had him on the floor and that guy hit about as hard as Paulie Malignaggi, no bullshit.
Hamed has never been Knocked Out. Frietas is a quitter. Hamed would have tore him up. Hamed's sole loss was to the great Barrera in his prime by decision. If Barrera came in swinging for the fences like Hamed half heartedly trained for the outcome would have been different. Frietas get real.