I was browsing some old newspaper archives on the internet and ran across an article that says Prince Naseem Hamed was considering fighting then contender Juan Manuel Marquez in 1999.
This was talk upon if he gets past Paul Ingle, upon checking boxrec.com, Hamed opted for a unification fight with Cesar Soto while Marquez suffered his first real loss to Freddie Norwood.
Think about if this fight happen years ago, a young Marquez would probably get creamed by Naseem Hamed, what we've seen on Mayweather's total domination of JMM, will be similar to this, Hamed dominating the fight for 12 rounds.
A young Marquez would literally humiliate Hamed worse than Barrera did.
Marquez would probably end his career and would stop him late in the fight.
Thank god Hamed ducked him (according to Hamed own trainer)
I thought Hamed's ****iness may get into Marquez head, and Barrera at that time was more experience than JMM when he fought Naz.
But I guess Hamed himself sees Marquez as a possible threat to his unblemish record.
You think Steward had any power to make decisions? It's a fact that Naseem offered JMM his biggest pay day and he turned it down.
Also a fact that they offered the fight to him on two weeks notice. Name one fighter today of that level who would take what would be the biggest fight in his career on two weeks notice?
Yeah, exactly.
He was offered the fight on what I believe was under a months notice, I don't think that's a foolish business decision at all.
Really? There are fighters who are far greater than anyone Hamed faced across those weights, what makes you say that?
Was it a month? Don't remember. Well that explains a lot. Although other fighters might've jumped at the opportunity.
I don't think any reasonable person thinks Marquez ducked Hamed but he made a foolish business decision when he turned down that half of a mil to face him. And to his credit, he had been trying to make a fight with Hamed for eons before that and couldn't get him in the ring.
He was offered the fight on what I believe was under a months notice, I don't think that's a foolish business decision at all.
Prince Naseem Hamed was a great fighter in the lower divisions who just so happened to fight in an era with even greater fighters like Morales, Barrera and, later on, the aforementioned Marquez. Today, Hamed would dominate from 118-126. Would have loved to see a showdown between he and Nonito Donaire.
Really? There are fighters who are far greater than anyone Hamed faced across those weights, what makes you say that?
All the experts say he was the dominant force in the featherweights. In fact I've seen written that he was on the top in the most domineering reign for 7 years. I looked it up it was actually 6 years. He also defended 15 times, nearly all were KO. He also defended his WBC International title 6 times in the couple of years before this and an obvious coming world champion as soon as he could get fight for the title. Around this time he had the most amazing record of 28K0's against 2 points win. He was slaughtering everybody. He felt he was too good. I'd see him in a studio interview insufferably conceited and kissing his biceps as if he adored them. Sickening actually, but that was Hamed's schtik. Made him a large fortune. He began losing interest before the McCullough fight, which was the 3rd decision he allowed. McCullough had a cast iron chin in that fight as you may recall. He played with him, and that's the way he did it to the end of his career. It was very obvious, he said several times that he couldn't keep fighting, his hands were crumbling. He showed us one after a fight, a gruesome sight.
These guys talking, just don't know anything about him. The excitement at his fights was enormous. It was Hamed who really made smaller fighters popular with fans and enabled them to get big, huge purses. He was the first, and led the way. Never got any credit for it though. Whilst Hamed was earning millions for a fight in a packed house. I've read he still has about 25 milion pounds left. Good for him.
At that time, 4 year Champion Mayweather was boxing in 3000 seat halls with 2/3rds the seats empty. Arum lost fortunes on building up Mayweather, and just when he was about to regain some of it, Mayweather jumped ship. Typical.
I hope you mean "small" as in smaller than De La Hoya...
Anyway, Edwin Valero had a more impressive record and we're not sitting here calling him an ATG.
Naseem was "prime" up until he fought the best fighter of his career? Then he wasn't? His career was at an all time high, one of the highest paid boxers period if I recall...Then he loses, is somehow "past" his prime cuz he chose not to train (didnt know that qualifies as being past your prime...).
Naz lost once, decided to call it quits and salvage the mystique (what was left of it). Naz kos Marquez? >__>...Man the things you read on here. Naz made a great career fighting lesser fighters and loses to the only A class he fights. Yet he dominates a guy who Has made a career fighting top guys? What is this based on? "Marquez beat Pac..". "Bro, Naz beat Kevin Kelly..sooo..he beats JMM easy". I am a HUGE Naz fan...but dominates JMM? >__>..we gotta draw the line somewhere.
I don't think any reasonable person thinks Marquez ducked Hamed but he made a foolish business decision when he turned down that half of a mil to face him. And to his credit, he had been trying to make a fight with Hamed for eons before that and couldn't get him in the ring.
Prince Naseem Hamed was a great fighter in the lower divisions who just so happened to fight in an era with even greater fighters like Morales, Barrera and, later on, the aforementioned Marquez. Today, Hamed would dominate from 118-126. Would have loved to see a showdown between he and Nonito Donaire.
I can't post links yet
But Marquez was definitely ducking Nas as well as Barrera ... and they were given offers for years ...
Prime Nas beats all of them - Marquez, Barrera, Morales etc.
All the experts say he was the dominant force in the featherweights. In fact I've seen written that he was on the top in the most domineering reign for 7 years. I looked it up it was actually 6 years. He also defended 15 times, nearly all were KO. He also defended his WBC International title 6 times in the couple of years before this and an obvious coming world champion as soon as he could get fight for the title. Around this time he had the most amazing record of 28K0's against 2 points win. He was slaughtering everybody. He felt he was too good. I'd see him in a studio interview insufferably conceited and kissing his biceps as if he adored them. Sickening actually, but that was Hamed's schtik. Made him a large fortune. He began losing interest before the McCullough fight, which was the 3rd decision he allowed. McCullough had a cast iron chin in that fight as you may recall. He played with him, and that's the way he did it to the end of his career. It was very obvious, he said several times that he couldn't keep fighting, his hands were crumbling. He showed us one after a fight, a gruesome sight.
These guys talking, just don't know anything about him. The excitement at his fights was enormous. It was Hamed who really made smaller fighters popular with fans and enabled them to get big, huge purses. He was the first, and led the way. Never got any credit for it though. Whilst Hamed was earning millions for a fight in a packed house. I've read he still has about 25 milion pounds left. Good for him.
At that time, 4 year Champion Mayweather was boxing in 3000 seat halls with 2/3rds the seats empty. Arum lost fortunes on building up Mayweather, and just when he was about to regain some of it, Mayweather jumped ship. Typical.
Sorry I worded it rather badly, I just caught a glance of the post, and meant it for the person who posted that Hamed's trainer said Hamed was avoiding him. I've altered it, and as you've read, Barrera, Morales, Tapia and Marquez avoided him. That's what Larry Merchant says, and he's usually very accurate with his reported statements.
You know how many C level comp hold titles? A lot. You are a fan boy that overate him. He step up in competition and he gets handle easy. But apparently at 28 he became lazy and not training hard. Yeah right. Step up in class and that is what happens. You know what Chavez did when he step up in class? He murk LaPorte, Rosario. Beat Ramirez, Mayweather, Taylor. That is what a great fighter do. They dont lack discipline.
He was on his way down before the Barrera fight, it was only his power which saved him in a few fights before Barrera. It was well documented in England way before the Barrera fight that Hamed was losing his disicpline and love for Boxing, and many journalists predicted Hamed losing if he carried on the way he was going.
''He steps up in competition and gets handled easy''? :D
You make it sound as if Hamed stepped up against a decent fighter. He stepped up against a All Time Great, and lost. Is that so much of a disgrace in Boxing?
''But apperently at 28 he became lazy and not training hard''
Watch this and tell me Hamed was training as he should have been?
At the end of the day, these are not excuses for Hamed. The fact of the matter is he lost fair and square to Barrera. If he wasn't training right that's no one's fault but his own.
However, i just can't understand the hate he gets for losing to Barrera. Hate for not making a noteable comeback after MAB? Hell yeah i can understand that. But hate for losing to a ALL TIME GREAT in Marco Antonio Barrera? Seriously?
He lost. This is Boxing. It happens.
Yeah, C level competition. Vazquez and Soto were battle worn. Them ranking higher than Norwood and JMM didnt make them better competition. Even Antonio Cermeño was a better test for him.
It wasnt about respecting the power, it was about styles. MAB fought very intelligent against Hamed. Pac overwhelm him.
Actually IT WAS about respecting Hamed's power. Say what you like about Hamed, but no one can deny that he had one punch KO power.
MAB fought the right fight to beat Hamed. If he fought the traditional Mexican style he knew he would run the risk of getting KO'd.
Im sure there was a quote from MAB somewhere of him admitting he had to fight a cautious fight to beat Hamed. Anyone care to remind me?
It's funny seeing the legend himself Barrera admit he had to be careful of Hamed's power and people sat behind their computers trying to downplay Hamed's power :D
it's true, Naz barely cut any weight, Marquez Morales etc are all up at 140 now and they still cut weight to get to that. Back in their primes they could all cut a lot more weight, 15lbs isn;t a huge deal for them
People dont want to admit it but Naz was a midget, he probably could have been a featherweight easily enough
Hamed is up at 200 now
I can't post links yet
But Marquez was definitely ducking Nas as well as Barrera ... and they were given offers for years ...
Prime Nas beats all of them - Marquez, Barrera, Morales etc.
Nas gets more heat than any other boxer for a single loss ... He fought Barrera when he was past his prime and had serious hand problems ... he didn't even do his traditional flip over the ropes for that bout
Barrera and Morales ducked Nas for years and this has been well documented ... a prime Nas vs Barrera would look very different ... Nas had been visibly slipping for a while before the Barrera fight
The "trainer" that someone posted who said that Hamed avoided Marquez........ he should provide a link. The poster who showed the video which had the pictures of Barrera, Morales, Tapia and ....Marquez in which Larry merchant was reporting that they all avoided and refused to fight Hamed.
Tapia actually refused a purse of $1.5 mill by far hia largest purse ever. All the experts say that Hamed was the featherweight kingpin-until Barrera of course. but it's a documented fact that his trainer, with whom he had split, said that he wouldn't train, only turned up to the gym for 3 weeks before the fight, and had stopped taking boxing seriously for a few years, relying on his power.
There seems to have grown up around Marquez a kind of cult, which almost deifies him. These are fans who mostly repeat what other dimwits say, and who weren't around when he was in his real prime. The guy is a prizefighter who makes bad financial decisions. His close losses against Pacquiao are just that, facts. As was reported by a US boxing journalist WHO WAS THERE, the actual truth of his much wider loss to the under-rated (by the West) Chris John. This is fact also.
Nas gets more heat than any other boxer for a single loss ... He fought Barrera when he was past his prime and had serious hand problems ... he didn't even do his traditional flip over the ropes for that bout
Barrera and Morales ducked Nas for years and this has been well documented ... a prime Nas vs Barrera would look very different ... Nas had been visibly slipping for a while before the Barrera fight
it's true, Naz barely cut any weight, Marquez Morales etc are all up at 140 now and they still cut weight to get to that. Back in their primes they could all cut a lot more weight, 15lbs isn;t a huge deal for them
People dont want to admit it but Naz was a midget, he probably could have been a featherweight easily enough
What ARE you talking about, Hamed WAS a featherweight !! He only fought for about 10 years and I'm sure the last half of that or more was at featherweight. I think he was feather champion for about his last 7 years.
It's TRUE ! You huys really don't know boxing.
Yeah, C level competition. Vazquez and Soto were battle worn. Them ranking higher than Norwood and JMM didnt make them better competition. Even Antonio Cermeño was a better test for him.
It wasnt about respecting the power, it was about styles. MAB fought very intelligent against Hamed. Pac overwhelm him.
No its WAS about respecting Naz's power, You guys talk like Naz was some guy who doesnt hit hard, Well Barrera respect his power so much he actually switch up his style so he doesnt engage Naz in any war, He boxed him beautifully from the outside and then tied in him so he doesnt get hit, Thats respect IMO especially when you know that Barrera was never a cautious fighter.