hitman_hatton1 wrote: ↑19 Jun 2019, 11:08
2002 - the year after naz-barrera.
barrera didn't hold a title belt and was ring champ until the pac loss.
But Barrera also did a Hamed an beat reigning Wbc and ibf champs before losing to Pac....and also beat the #1.
If I remember rightly it was reintroduced to stop stripped champions from bring perceived as "not a champion "....but the issue I have is if it's being given to Hamed retrospectively...it needs to go to all who qualify!
There's a fair few excellent featherweight world champions who stand out in history for their ability and achievements, but none I could name who are more arrogant and deluded than Naseem Hamed,
Barrera beat him in a manner like he dismissed routine challengers. Hamed hung in there but was beaten out of sight and humiliated (for someone who rated himself as high as he did). Hamed was a good champion, very good...but Barerra, Marquez, Morales and Pac man were true elite and a cut above. Hamed, IMO, doesn't below in that company. He talked about what he would end up achieving, they actually did it.
Barrera comprehensively beat that version of Naz. Would loved to have seen Barrera against a prime Naz at the Ingle gym, whop turned up to train properly. My Money would be on a Naz ko win inside 5 rounds.
For me, it's a bit like Bellew vs Haye, all those two fights showed us was that Bellew can beat a lame Haye. I'd have put good money on a prime Haye taking Bellow out inside of two rounds.
I just think Barerra.... unlike the Haye vs Bellew analogy - Hamed hadn't had the injury trauma, wasn't over the hill biologically or had the time out of the ring of Haye. Haye was physically finished, Hamed was mentally finished.
I just think THAT Barrera was too quick, too sharp and clever defensively for any version of Hamed.
I blooming love Steve Robinson, I could debate Steve Robinson potential all night to anyone - BUT - Hamed NEVER faced anyone REMOTELY of Barerra's skill set and class. I just don't know what even a Prime Hamed could do that differently..... was his power gone at that stage? No, was his hand speed? No - Barrera was just too good.
Barerra pre Junior Jones is a different story - he needed those setbacks to learn a new style.
An aging Kevin Kelley showed that Hamed could get tagged and could look silly - or was that a past it Hamed also? Barrera was a different class to Kelley.
Absolutely no shame - like Ricky Hatton, and Ken Buchanon , Hamed will go down amongst the very best the UK has ever produced..... but like the former two - also faced a true all time great at the peak of his powers and got found wanting a tad.
