Prince Naseem Hamed's Legacy

[Kid_Diamond]

One of the best fighters to come out of the UK

[jabsRstiff]

A guy who avoided the best fighters once he became champion.
He finally fought the best (Barrera)& was beaten in embarrassing fashion....& then never returned.

No question he was a unique talent....but he fell far short of greatness.

[scap]

He was the first to unify all 4 belts if I remember correctly, he didn't just beat former world champs. He was also the dominant fighter at his weight for years.

He bitched out which is the only thing that stopped him from from going on to become one of the greats at his weight IMO. Even if your reasoning on another thread was true, that he didn't believe he could beat MAB, it's still perfectly possible to have continued a good career without rematching him. He had obviously lost all motivation for the sport by that time.

He was a unique and exceptional fighter who just didn't fulfil his potentional for greatness.

Naz unified all four major belts???? Where the **** have I been, your telling me he was the undisputed featherweight champion of the world, what was Erik Morales doing at this time finger ****ing himself?

He was never the dominant fighter at his weight for years, he was percieved to be the dominant fighter at his weight when there was guys like Freddie Norwood, Erik Morales, MAB and JM MArquez all sitting there as well(how many of these guys did he face). IT WAS ALL PERCEPTION, NEVER REALITY...this is a difference that you need to realize and understand!

What is Naz's career defining fight? Tom Johnson? PAul Ingle? Manuel Medina?....and you sit here and say that he was the dominant fighter for years in his division...where the hell is your repect for a guy named Erik Morales.

[+= El Jefe=+]

i think its both for being one of the best ligther weigth figthers to come out of England and for being owned by barrera.
i personally think the thing that damaged his carrer the most was the way he handaled the defeat.

[theironone]

I thought Naz beat the wbo, ibf and wbc champs in the ring, fought vasquez who WAS champ but stripped a week or so before the fight then they awarded him the belt, didn't norwood win the vacant wba title and wasn't morales at super bantam when naz was champ.

I think naz was a very good fighter who beat good fighters but no great ones, the only great he fought was MAB who out-boxed him and took his heart, MAB didn't embarress him though at all, Naz had looked on the way out from 99 though

[JUYJUY]

It was only a matter of time before Hamed lost, it was more a case of Hamed losing than Barrera winning.. the Hamed of 95 destroys the Hamed of 01!

[Cletus Funk]

Naz unified all four major belts???? Where the **** have I been, your telling me he was the undisputed featherweight champion of the world, what was Erik Morales doing at this time finger ****ing himself?

He was never the dominant fighter at his weight for years, he was percieved to be the dominant fighter at his weight when there was guys like Freddie Norwood, Erik Morales, MAB and JM MArquez all sitting there as well(how many of these guys did he face). IT WAS ALL PERCEPTION, NEVER REALITY...this is a difference that you need to realize and understand!

What is Naz's career defining fight? Tom Johnson? PAul Ingle? Manuel Medina?....and you sit here and say that he was the dominant fighter for years in his division...where the hell is your repect for a guy named Erik Morales.

Before you start ranting check out your facts, everything I said is true. And my respect for Morales couldn't be higher.

All those guys were at the weight class below Hamed. MAB moved up to fight him. Marquez may have been at the weight at the time, I can't remember, but he'd done **** all then, and still hasn't really.

[rudy]

Yes his Legendary status is guranteed although it is slightly tarnished by his loss to Barrea. The following fights make up for this Tom Johnson, Kevin Kelly, Wilfredo Vasquez, Aguie Sanchez

All these fights were thrillers, don't knock him because if it was not for him, most of of the top fighters would be still be fighting for £250,000 for a superfight in their division. When Barrea vs Morales that is price both fighters got, Hamed was getting over £2million a fight

so yes is a LEGEND

[Cletus Funk]

I thought Naz beat the wbo, ibf and wbc champs in the ring, fought vasquez who WAS champ but stripped a week or so before the fight then they awarded him the belt, didn't norwood win the vacant wba title and wasn't morales at super bantam when naz was champ.

I think naz was a very good fighter who beat good fighters but no great ones, the only great he fought was MAB who out-boxed him and took his heart, MAB didn't embarress him though at all, Naz had looked on the way out from 99 though

You're right, he never actually won the WBA because of that.

[jabsRstiff]

"The following fights make up for this Tom Johnson, Kevin Kelly, Wilfredo Vasquez, Aguie Sanchez"

Listing those guys makes the case AGAINST Hamed.

Kelly & Vasquez were shot fighters. Augie had no business getting a title shot, & had a horrible chin....yet he gave Hamed pure hell.
Johnson was slowing down, though still a tough guy. I give Naz credit for beating Johnson, & doing so in impressive fashion.