Was JMM avoided by Prince Naseem Hamed?

[ShoulderRoll]

I saw someone mention this on NSB and wanted to find out more of the background story. Also how do you think that fight would have gone if it had come about?

[SCtrojansbaby]

JMM turned down a Naz fight early on. People still criticize Nacho(JMMs manager) for it because they saw the way Barrera beat him and thought JMM could of done the same

[Capaedia]

Naz offered JMM a fight, but i recall he tried to lowball him and didnt give him much time to prepare. Same with Morales (i think he beats Morales however)

I think young Marquez is about as bad a matchup for Naz as any. His mobility and angles at the lower weights were great, and of course he is the smarter fighter

But Naz was slippery with a good chin and massive punch. Dont think he gets stopped. But he would definitely pay for his poor footwork and showboating.

Marquez by wide UD. He would have Naz off balance and out of position 90% of the fight and spend the rest of it trapping and countering.


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[Sugarj]

What we have to remember is that back in the late 90s/early 2000s Marquez was not seen to be one of the pound for pound greats that he is today.

His loss to Norwood did slow down his rise to the top and he wasn't held in the same regard as Barrera and Moralles. Frankly, at that time he wasn't quite in their league. He was too green!

If the Marquez from the Norwood fight had met the Hamed from say the Bungu fight, I'd probably put my money on Hamed.

5 years later Marquez was quite something........but by then Hamed was several years retired.

[rorymac]

What we have to remember is that back in the late 90s/early 2000s Marquez was not seen to be one of the pound for pound greats that he is today.

His loss to Norwood did slow down his rise to the top and he wasn't held in the same regard as Barrera and Moralles. Frankly, at that time he wasn't quite in their league. He was too green!

If the Marquez from the Norwood fight had met the Hamed from say the Bungu fight, I'd probably put my money on Hamed.

5 years later Marquez was quite something........but by then Hamed was several years retired.

This.......

[Cardinal Buck]

Naz offered JMM a fight, but i recall he tried to lowball him and didnt give him much time to prepare. Same with Morales (i think he beats Morales however)

I think young Marquez is about as bad a matchup for Naz as any. His mobility and angles at the lower weights were great, and of course he is the smarter fighter

But Naz was slippery with a good chin and massive punch. Dont think he gets stopped. But he would definitely pay for his poor footwork and showboating.

Marquez by wide UD. He would have Naz off balance and out of position 90% of the fight and spend the rest of it trapping and countering.


Posted from Boxingscene.com App for Android

Norwood was like a third rate Naz and we saw how Marquez perfomed in that fight.

[Scott9945]

Naz offered JMM a fight, but i recall he tried to lowball him and didnt give him much time to prepare. Same with Morales (i think he beats Morales however)

This is correct. JMM was offered a fight, but not under the best circumstances. He was the mandatory contender for a long time and should have gotten his shot earlier.

Morales was offered Hamed, but it was too soon after the first Barrera fight and Morales wanted more time to recuperate.

[BennyST]

JMM turned down a Naz fight early on. People still criticize Nacho(JMMs manager) for it because they saw the way Barrera beat him and thought JMM could of done the same

It was a very poor offer though and no one would have taken it. Unfortunate now as Marquez would most likely have had a huge win.

Anyway, the story is that Marquez was Naz' mandatory for a long, long time. Two years at least from memory, and they held off the offer as long as possible and when it finally did get put out it was a pathetic, lowball offer.

Norwood was like a third rate Naz and we saw how Marquez perfomed in that fight.

Norwood didn't fight anything like Naz. The only thing that's at all similar is that they're both southpaws. Naz is open, off balance and easy to hit and counter and throws huge bombs that leave him open and vulnerable. Everything that Norwood didn't do.

[Cardinal Buck]

It was a very poor offer though and no one would have taken it. Unfortunate now as Marquez would most likely have had a huge win.

Anyway, the story is that Marquez was Naz' mandatory for a long, long time. Two years at least from memory, and they held off the offer as long as possible and when it finally did get put out it was a pathetic, lowball offer.





Norwood didn't fight anything like Naz. The only thing that's at all similar is that they're both southpaws. Naz is open, off balance and easy to hit and counter and throws huge bombs that leave him open and vulnerable. Everything that Norwood didn't do.

They were both extremely awkward southpaws, but Naz was levels above. Naz was not easy to hit. That's why he took little damage in his career. He would go down sometimes, but so would Norwood.

[Scott9945]

Norwood didn't fight anything like Naz. The only thing that's at all similar is that they're both southpaws. Naz is open, off balance and easy to hit and counter and throws huge bombs that leave him open and vulnerable. Everything that Norwood didn't do.

While I hated Freddie Norwood, I have to admit that he was very tough to beat in his prime. Real ugly style that made most of his opponents look bad.