Comments Thread For: Measured Against All Time: Prince Naseem Hamed

[IMDAZED]

It really wasn't. Naz was never really the same fighter after he left Brendan Ingle. The Barrera loss was inevitable in hindsight, his head wasn't in the game any more.

Possibly but I thought he looked good getting instructions from Manny Steward against Paul Ingle, I believe. That other trainer, Oscar Suarez (RIP), wasn't a good fit for him. I don't know if it was the loss of Ingle or the loss of desire that did Naz in. Maybe both.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Possibly but I thought he looked good getting instructions from Manny Steward against Paul Ingle, I believe. That other trainer, Oscar Suarez (RIP), wasn't a good fit for him. I don't know if it was the loss of Ingle or the loss of desire that did Naz in. Maybe both.

They went hand-in-hand

[therealpugilist]

Naz is one of those cases where people are looking at his personality or preferences to why he shouldn't be in the hall, which is a travesty

Honestly I think he has been black balled out of the hall. If he were humble or an American with his credentials he'd already be in.

Naz had style but plenty of substance...there has not been an undisputed champ at the weight since his departure


Barry mcguigan and kostya tsyzu is in but not naz...thats bs

[Slick Veteran]

Interesting.

He's a very good fighter but the fact he quit boxing after getting out boxed by Barrera is a big stain on his legacy. For him to quit after facing embarrassment and adversity speaks volumes of his "warrior" heart and also make sense as to why he never fought Mayweather, who was calling him out.

They should put him on the top 5 in greatest entertainers in boxing list thoug

[therealpugilist]

If you actually watched 90s boxing you'd understand why he should be in

One fight shouldn't erase what he did in his career. Barrera outboxed him, he didn't take his soul which is a huge exaggeration. Wanna see a soul taking, go watch junior jones vs barrera l

Never understood why people make MAB out to be a legend but dont give the guy he beat in his biggest victory his due

Hamed was a true world champion and whoever said he folded at the first sign of adversity definitely didnt watch many of his fights

Against kevin kelly and daniel alicea he pulled himself off the floor to ko those guys

In 37 fights fighting at the world stage in one weight class with a lot of quality wins...boom boom johnson, cesar soto, wayne mccollough, vuyani bungu, paul ingle, kelly, Manuel medina, etc.

Look at guys like canelo, chavez jr., more fights and didnt beat comp as good as his....nor did some guys already in the hall like gatti, tszyu, mcguigan, calzaghe, etc

[Scott9945]

Possibly but I thought he looked good getting instructions from Manny Steward against Paul Ingle, I believe. That other trainer, Oscar Suarez (RIP), wasn't a good fit for him. I don't know if it was the loss of Ingle or the loss of desire that did Naz in. Maybe both.

I believe that when Hamed chose to have Steward and Suarez co-train him that was the beginning of the end. Those type of arrangements rarely work out well.

And I agree with those who say it is a joke that Hamed isn't in the HOF already.

[Humean]

Great article. Hamed deserves his due.

[IronDanHamza]

When Hamed was fighting, it was an exciting time.

HOF? I'd say yes.

[The Noose]

I was a big fan, considered him one of my 5 favorite fighters at the time but I think he could have cemented a HOF legacy if he had rededicated himself after the Barrera loss. He was not old, not shot, not washed up, one loss and even that was not a KO loss. But with such a huge ego, this was one of the strongest cases for a fighter taking another fighter's soul because Hamed was never the same. He is a mixed bag when it comes to helping/hurting others. He gave houses and money to his family and was known as being hugely generous but then had that car accident where he seriously injured another driver.

I wonder if that has something to do with him not being accepted as HOFer.
But then, Tyson is in.

It really wasn't. Naz was never really the same fighter after he left Brendan Ingle. The Barrera loss was inevitable in hindsight, his head wasn't in the game any more.

What fight was his last with Ingle? I remember them arguing in the corner.

I think he was always vunerable even at his best. As soon as he was champion he was getting hit and put down. Not badly hurt, but IMO if Barrera had fought him at any stage, he would have out boxed him.
That is if Barrera was smart and countered like he did when they fought.
Im not sure what Hamed at his best would have done differently against Barrera.

[Gavinevans]

Gavin Evans

Naseem Hamed undoubtedly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. His record, his achievements, the men he beat leave no legitimate doubt. However, Hamed could have achieved so much more if had retained the level of dedication shown before he won the WBO title. Odd as it may sound, his peak came before he won a 'world' title belt - as a super-bantamweight. I followed him throughout his career, and wrote two biographies on him (Prince of the Ring and Wicked!) and watched most of his fights, and there is no doubt that he declined after beating Steve Robinson. His foot speed, reflexes and hand speed all slowed. As a boxer whose brilliance was based on his speed and reflexes this was serious. As a super-bantam he was near-impossible to hit, but after beating Robinson he became increasingly hittable. The reason was easy to see, then and retrospectively. First, he ceased listening to his trainer, Brendan Ingle. Second, he ceased training between fights. Third, he cut out dimensions of training that he didn't enjoy - like running. Fourth, a boxer who had made bantamweight a couple of years earlier, struggled to make featherweight because of his appalling junk food diet. His fight training shifted towards weight making. By the time he fought Barrera he was way beyond his peak. He came into camp 40-pounds overweight, and although he eventually made 126-pounds he was drained and his reflexes were shot. Had he fought Barrera as a super-bantamweight, I have little doubt he would have won, and the same applies to Morales. Early in Hamed's career, Ingle said he could win world titles at five weights - bantam, super-bantam, feather, super-feather and light. I think he was right - if only Hamed had stuck with the programme.