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Difficult to compare the two. Hamed's prime was around the Steve Robinson fight - aged 21/22 (I think) - whereas Pac's is perhaps now at a higher weight.
At his peak Hamed was lethal. No doubts about it. Fast. Accurate. KO power in either fist and the ability to hit from the craziest of angles (I remember one uppercut that was launched from somewhere near his boot laces which almost tore Robinson's head off). As for the assertion he was easy to hit - I think some people in this thread are re-writing history. Like pretty much all of Ingle's boxers Naz was very difficult to catch cleanly. He'd slip punches, slide out of the way or arch backwards. It was only later in his career - drunk on wealth and success - that he started to get caught regularly. That said, he had a solid chin. Yes, he was put on the canvas four or five times, but never on ***** street. Very often he'd leave himself poorly balanced after a big shot and vulnerable to a well-timed counter.
I often wonder what Hamed could have achieved had he maintained focus. In his time he put away a lot of good fighters - but he let himself down badly. Barrera boxed beautifully to beat him, but a defeat had been coming for a long time. Brendan Ingle must have wept watching the Kevin Kelley fight. His fighter seemed to be going backwards rather than ahead into his prime.
I suspect a Pac vs Hamed bout wouldn't last very long. Prime or not - I doubt Manny could resist getting embroiled in a shootout. And Naz loved fighters who came forward at him. I see Manny doing the better work but ultimately being out-gunned. Perhaps something similar to the Kelley fight.
At his peak Hamed was lethal. No doubts about it. Fast. Accurate. KO power in either fist and the ability to hit from the craziest of angles (I remember one uppercut that was launched from somewhere near his boot laces which almost tore Robinson's head off). As for the assertion he was easy to hit - I think some people in this thread are re-writing history. Like pretty much all of Ingle's boxers Naz was very difficult to catch cleanly. He'd slip punches, slide out of the way or arch backwards. It was only later in his career - drunk on wealth and success - that he started to get caught regularly. That said, he had a solid chin. Yes, he was put on the canvas four or five times, but never on ***** street. Very often he'd leave himself poorly balanced after a big shot and vulnerable to a well-timed counter.
I often wonder what Hamed could have achieved had he maintained focus. In his time he put away a lot of good fighters - but he let himself down badly. Barrera boxed beautifully to beat him, but a defeat had been coming for a long time. Brendan Ingle must have wept watching the Kevin Kelley fight. His fighter seemed to be going backwards rather than ahead into his prime.
I suspect a Pac vs Hamed bout wouldn't last very long. Prime or not - I doubt Manny could resist getting embroiled in a shootout. And Naz loved fighters who came forward at him. I see Manny doing the better work but ultimately being out-gunned. Perhaps something similar to the Kelley fight.
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