Was HBO trying to make Manny Pacquiao vs. Prince Naseem Hamed in 2003

I remember reading somewhere that HBO was trying to make that fight happen before Hamed retired after Pacquiao beat Julio on the Tyson Lewis undercard. I wonder if they fought what would happen? Would it be the end of Pacquiao? If Prince fougth him would he have knocked him out and the Pacquiao legend ended there? Prince retired after the Calvo fight. This is the reason why I don't rank him highly, he never had a passion or love for the sport, he was still young, but he was lazy and when he faced his first defeat he didn't have the desire or competitive nature of a true champion. He never wanted a rematch with Barrera, never fought Morales, or Marquez, and avoided Mayweather when Floyd said he would meet him at a catchweight of 128 for a super fight. Prince told Floyd if he wanted to fight he had to come down to 126 since Prince was the cash cow at the time. But what made no sense is Prince had trouble making 126 and would balloon to 140, so at 128 or even 130 pounds it would have been easier on his body to go up a little bit in weight. He now walks around close to 180 at 5 foot 2. Do you guys think if Pacquiao and Prince fought, that it would be the end of Manny or would it have been another fight that would have made Pacs legend even greater would he be the first to stop Prince?

Comments (20)

ramses07

Juan Manuel Marquez conceded Friday that he turned down a fight with Prince Naseem Hamed, the World Boxing Organization featherweight champion. Marquez, of Mexico City, will meet Daniel Jiminez of Puerto Rico in the 10-round featherweight main event Sunday at the Union Plaza. The six-bout card is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. After being turned down by Marquez and reportedly others, Hamed went on to knock out Las Vegan Augie Sanchez in the fourth round Aug. 19 at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn., in an HBO-televised fight. "I had been waiting two years," said Marquez, speaking through a translator. "Now they want the fight. I wasn't prepared. They did not give me sufficient time to get prepared." i remember this, marquez wanted sufficient time to train, not that he wasn't prepared to fight him. the meaning of his statement was lost in translation. btw, didnt they wait for JMM to look horrible against norwood? (which jmm should've won)

10y ago

CHOWWOKKA

Naz would've taken pac's head off.

10y ago

creekrat77

Naz would have lost. At that point in his career the passion was gone and continuing would only muck up what he had already accomplished

10y ago

mneronava2k

So does Naz beat Pac or nah? :thinking: No chance. Naz ain't shhhht. Again, he's the most overrated fighter of his generation. People ate up the hype.

10y ago

BrometheusBob

As a Yemeni guy myself with some family in Sheffield who were crazy hyped about this dude, let me say that I was biting my tongue all the time around them. I just wanted to be like - yeah he's a fine fighter but he's overrated as **** and is duckin Marquez like the goddam plague - but I held it in. Barrera exposed this dude hard. What could possibly make you think Naseem had any chance of wining against Pacquiao, the guy who obliterated Barrera on two occasions? Plus after that embarassing loss Naseem had a tuneup that he could barely hurt and won a very unexciting lopsided decision. If there was any year Hamed would beat Pacquiao it was definitely not 2003.

10y ago

IFightDirty

Look, man, bottom line: After all is said and done Marquez will be known as a guy who fought everyone, brought entertaining fights, a high level of craft, and serious heart to the game. He was champ in several weight classes, jumped up two weight classes to fight the pound for pound best fighter of our generation, and knocked out the second best fighter In recent history. Hamed is known for an unfulfilled career. He was beaten by Barrera (a guy Marquez beat) and retired from boxing. Now, if we are going to really debate who has the bigger heart? who is more fearless? who fought more guys? And ultimately: is it likely that Hamed ducked Marquez? Or did Marquez duck Hamed? You just don't have history, facts, or common sense on your side. Marquez will retire as a competitor. Hamed has retired basically known as a guy who retired after being beaten. So, who do you really think ducked who? So does Naz beat Pac or nah? :thinking:

10y ago

therealpugilist

Prime for prime I'd take naz to win from 122-126...better chin, hit harder even more unorthodox n could counter well

10y ago

FrankieBruno

Naz wud have washed Pac Also people talk as if Barrera battered Naz, it wasnt a one sided fight, it was competitive It just came to late in Naz career, his hunger was gone, his hands were shot and his ego was out of control..coming back from a back injury as well as weight problems...the guy had a horrible camp and yes many boxers ducked Naz when he was in his prime, this is documented fact,

10y ago

Dirk_Diggler_UK

Manny Pacquiao at 122lbs in 2000, closer to Naz's prime... http://share.gifyoutube.com/mGbjpN.gif

10y ago

lacson

Pacquiao destroys him worse than Barrera did. He most likely would have been knocked out. Looking at his resume, it's full of bums, the only name worth noting was Barrera and we know how that went.

10y ago

Dirk_Diggler_UK

Fan boys always have excuses. I just realized you're from the uK Excuses for what? There's literally quotes from Juan Manuel Marquez saying he turned down a fight with Naseem Hamed and you're trying to pretend they aren't there? :lol1: You're the one with excuses, kid.

10y ago

mneronava2k

He was. He was being paid by HBO. Hamed wasn't paying him any more so he had no problem throwing him under the bus to hype an active HBO fighter. I still remember how he went in on Lennox Lewis for not coming out of retirement to fight Vitali years after the fact just because he was being paid by the Klitschko's and not Lennox at the time. Manny Steward also trained Kermit Cintron to face Antonio Margarito and watched Margarito's hands being wrapped but still tried to throw Margarito under the bus because that's what HBO's agenda was. Manny Steward was once described as a "mercenary whore". And I don't mean to speak ill of the dead but that's what he was. When Naz was paying him, he was the "greatest featherweight of all time". When he stopped, all this stuff about how he advised him not to face Barrera and Marquez came out :lol1: Regardless, even if he did advise Naz not to fight him, it doesn't change the fact that he's a trainer and Naz's promoter offered Marquez the fight. And Marquez by his own word turned it down. Fan boys always have excuses. I just realized you're from the uK

10y ago

Dirk_Diggler_UK

And, my video...? The one where his trainer stated he told Hamed NOT to fight him? (Ps. I love the guy in thread who says it's because steward was an HBO employee hahaha) He was. He was being paid by HBO. Hamed wasn't paying him any more so he had no problem throwing him under the bus to hype an active HBO fighter. I still remember how he went in on Lennox Lewis for not coming out of retirement to fight Vitali years after the fact just because he was being paid by the Klitschko's and not Lennox at the time. Manny Steward also trained Kermit Cintron to face Antonio Margarito and watched Margarito's hands being wrapped but still tried to throw Margarito under the bus because that's what HBO's agenda was. Manny Steward was once described as a "mercenary whore". And I don't mean to speak ill of the dead but that's what he was. When Naz was paying him, he was the "greatest featherweight of all time". When he stopped, all this stuff about how he advised him not to face Barrera and Marquez came out :lol1: Regardless, even if he did advise Naz not to fight him, it doesn't change the fact that he's a trainer and Naz's promoter offered Marquez the fight. And Marquez by his own word turned it down.

10y ago

Dirk_Diggler_UK

Who was he fighting two years before that? Kevin Kelley, Wilfredo Vasquez, Paul Ingle, Cesar Soto - all either bigger names champions or higher ranked than Marquez at the time. Marquez was a nobody, he was just another mandatory. Prince unified all 4 titles so he had plenty of those. Who cares anyway? When he got offered the fight, he turned it down. He says he turned it down himself - what more proof do you need? :lol1:

10y ago

SouthPawHitman

Juan turned the fight down and some people are still saying Prince ducked him. God damn this place has some ****ing retards. Oh and Prince would literally ****ing kill Manny.

10y ago

revs1227

actually , that would have most likely jump started his career and added even further to his ATG legacy, as much hate as PAC gets on here name any person who had a run of hof names like he did that was a once in a lifetime run through 8 divisions and i will never forget it pac would have destroyed nas and it would have been amazing

10y ago

mneronava2k

What about it? Hamed offered JMM the fight so he obviously didn't listen to his trainer did he? Look, man, bottom line: After all is said and done Marquez will be known as a guy who fought everyone, brought entertaining fights, a high level of craft, and serious heart to the game. He was champ in several weight classes, jumped up two weight classes to fight the pound for pound best fighter of our generation, and knocked out the second best fighter In recent history. Hamed is known for an unfulfilled career. He was beaten by Barrera (a guy Marquez beat) and retired from boxing. Now, if we are going to really debate who has the bigger heart? who is more fearless? who fought more guys? And ultimately: is it likely that Hamed ducked Marquez? Or did Marquez duck Hamed? You just don't have history, facts, or common sense on your side. Marquez will retire as a competitor. Hamed has retired basically known as a guy who retired after being beaten. So, who do you really think ducked who?

10y ago

mneronava2k

A video that clearly states Barrera/Morales/JMM/Tapia were all offered the fight instead of Sanchez, all offered the biggest paydays of their careers and all turned it down. Hamed a ducker though. :dunce: And, my video...? The one where his trainer stated he told Hamed NOT to fight him? (Ps. I love the guy in thread who says it's because steward was an HBO employee hahaha)

10y ago

mneronava2k

How does it prove your point? It's an article which explicitly states from the horses mouth himself saying that he turned down the fight. If he was waiting two years, then why did he turn it down when it was offered to him? Surely he would have been prepared. :lol1: Marquez was one of many mandatories that Naz had because he was busy cleaning up all the belts at featherweight and beating higher ranked contenders than Marquez. When Marquez's time came, he rejected the fight. Who was he fighting two years before that?

10y ago

Dirk_Diggler_UK

This also proves my point. After "two years..." How does it prove your point? It's an article which explicitly states from the horses mouth himself saying that he turned down the fight. If he was waiting two years, then why did he turn it down when it was offered to him? Surely he would have been prepared. :lol1: Marquez was one of many mandatories that Naz had because he was busy cleaning up all the belts at featherweight and beating higher ranked contenders than Marquez. When Marquez's time came, he rejected the fight.

10y ago