When Naz Hit New York

FightFanPlan · Post by **FightFanPlan** » 01 Jun 2019, 07:39

Watched this show Sky Sports has produced on Naz a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it. (On YouTube here - ).

Naz has always been a favourite of mine because he was the first boxer I ever saw. Although he retired when I was 10 he was the only boxer my dad ever had an interest in and if I hadn't been captivated by his ring walks as a child, I may never have started following boxing.

Although I've read a far amount about Naz and he clearly had cross over celebrity appeal, but I guess I'm interested in knowing from the forum how big a star he really was and has there been a bigger once since?

I feel like Ricky Hatton and Anthony Joshua are the only two who might compare but it's hard to know having not 'been there' during the Naz days.

And also, looking back on his career, how do you summarise it? Should he have been in bigger fights or achieved more or gone after different opponents?

Thanks!

samwbr · Post by **samwbr** » 01 Jun 2019, 07:55

It was a good watch. Cant help but think he was a wasted talent, fame got to his already monstrous ego.

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 01 Jun 2019, 09:06

Always loved the Addias advert when Naz came to America.

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 01 Jun 2019, 09:20

Naz was huge. Massive crossover interest. However, he was mostly hated and people wanted him to lose. He could never have pulled Hatton or Joshua crowds because he was so vile and polarising. But I would say he was as famous if not more famous than them.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 01 Jun 2019, 11:30

watched jones-mckinney on allegedly the other day.

that was a great undercard fight as well.

listened to it on the radio with the very brilliant john rawling.

littlepug · Post by **littlepug** » 01 Jun 2019, 16:45

His style and personality were pure box office and he actually beat some pretty good fighters, he was also responsible for hoards of young lads joining boxing clubs trying to become the next “Naz”, unfortunately he bought into his own hype and his skills suffered as a result, so as good as he was it was a case of how much better could he have been ?

handsofstone · Post by **handsofstone** » 01 Jun 2019, 17:39

Pretty much all Ingle fighters are enigmas, Graham, Hamed, Rhodes, Brook and Galahad probably should have reached a level above what they did, Nelson on the other hand probably has as many title defences as them all combined and was dreadful to begin with

Steveh583 · Post by **Steveh583** » 02 Jun 2019, 05:43

When are the "he should never have left Brendan" comments gonna start?

I lap up that shit on YouTube. "Mike would have been undefeated if cus had lived" ..."naz would have beaten Barrera if he'd had trained". Like that somehow makes the loss not count.

Old Jack J · Post by **Old Jack J** » 02 Jun 2019, 09:30

Naz was great fun to watch. Didn't matter if you loved him or hated him, everyone tuned in to see him. A bit like Eubank before him.

I think Naz peaked early in his career. By the time he fought Kelly his reflexes had slowed a bit and he was obviously fighting class opponents who could nail him. Still great fun and very entertaining.

I cant remember how big he was to be honest. I would have thought Benn was more popular at the time. Maybe that's because I was more of a Benn fan. I reckon Bruno was just as big as Naz in the UK.

I dunno! I reckon for 2 or 3 years Naz was one of the best both skill wise and entertainment wise.

TheGman · Post by **TheGman** » 02 Jun 2019, 21:32

dave_smith wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 09:06 Always loved the Addias advert when Naz came to America.

Remember this? He threw his bag off the ship and done the rope flip off the ship lol. Brilliant

TheGman · Post by **TheGman** » 02 Jun 2019, 21:34

Didnt like the way he spoke to Brendan in this programme tbh.

Nightmare Roy · Post by **Nightmare Roy** » 02 Jun 2019, 22:00

FightFanPlan wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 07:39 Watched this show Sky Sports has produced on Naz a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it. (On YouTube here - ).

Naz has always been a favourite of mine because he was the first boxer I ever saw. Although he retired when I was 10 he was the only boxer my dad ever had an interest in and if I hadn't been captivated by his ring walks as a child, I may never have started following boxing.

Although I've read a far amount about Naz and he clearly had cross over celebrity appeal, but I guess I'm interested in knowing from the forum how big a star he really was and has there been a bigger once since?

I feel like Ricky Hatton and Anthony Joshua are the only two who might compare but it's hard to know having not 'been there' during the Naz days.

And also, looking back on his career, how do you summarise it? Should he have been in bigger fights or achieved more or gone after different opponents?

Thanks!

Here is a cracking documentary about his fight with Barrera, I was doing cartwheels when he got beat, horrible little fcuker but I always paid my money and tuned in, he was a massive star that’s for sure.

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 03 Jun 2019, 17:07

thechump wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 21:32 Remember this? He threw his bag off the ship and done the rope flip off the ship lol. Brilliant

Yes with the fella on top of the Empire State or something proclaiming the coming of the special one.

It was special, Naz was great at that time, was a household name. Warren the first overseas promoter to promote at MSG, then seeing his face when Naz kept being put down. His 1 and a half lungs were doing overtime that night!

Then the fight was a fight of the year contender.

liamlion · Post by **liamlion** » 03 Jun 2019, 17:25

dave_smith wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 17:07 Yes with the fella on top of the Empire State or something proclaiming the coming of the special one.

It was special, Naz was great at that time, was a household name. Warren the first overseas promoter to promote at MSG, then seeing his face when Naz kept being put down. His 1 and a half lungs were doing overtime that night!

Then the fight was a fight of the year contender.

I think it was as part a huge sponsorship deal with signed with Adidas, promoting his then, imminent MSG show in New York

He had some big commercial contracts at that time and I remember the MSG event being heavily sponsored by Minsitry of Sound, who were huge in the mid 90s.

I remember that era so well. Naz was a huge name in Britain at the time and made and invested serious money.

coneye · Post by **coneye** » 03 Jun 2019, 18:56

He was exciting and put British boxing back on the world map , was glad to see Barrera knock the cockiness out of him , you either loved his cocky style or hated it , personaly i don't mind a bad loser its in ther makeup , annoying but heh they don't like losing ,
Naz though was worse he was a bad winner , but generate interest , he was cetainly up there

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