BoxRec

What weight would you bring him back at? Who would you match him with? What titles would you ultimately aim for? (Don't forget the politics involved in your choices...Sports Network wouldn't get a look in, which rules out the likes of Gavin Rees, Michael Gomez et all).
As the latter suggests, I would bring Naseem back at super-feather (or even lightweight to begin with - if he can make nine stone again, let him ease down to it over a number of fights). Now, there's NO way in my opinion, Naz can jump straight into a title fight without as many warm-ups as conceivably possible (before his TV-paymasters start grumbling, anyway).
The first opponent would be very tricky indeed. It would have to be someone acceptable yet beatable; someone who can give him a few rounds yet make him look good. Eric Odumasi is based in this country (though I'm not sure if he's with Sports Network). He's a tough guy with a decent record. He would be a good opponent back. He took Scott Harrison into the 12th and last round at featherweight a few years back, but is now up to super-feather and seems to be on the slide. Yeah, he'd do.
Secondly, I would consider someone like Alex Moon, another fighter past his sell by date with a good resume of names on his record. He's easy to hit, too. He could make a comebacking Naz look spectacular.

More to come...

It would depend on the weight at 30 I would but him in with someone respectable and likely to give him a few tough rounds without winning.

If he's at Lightweight I think about Pedersen or domestically maybe Hunt.

If he's at Superfeather I place him with Gary Thornhill (I think Moon has retired) or maybe try an pursuade Dean Pithie out of retirement (that wouldn't be a bad idea with their history - especially if its going to get the Sky box office hype - better than Calvo anyway).

Then straight if he looks okay, I bung him straight into a European title fight at the weight, and then I don't know what I would do - to be honest, I can't see all of the available (obviously, Scott's SN link ommits him) champions at 9 st are particularly daunting for even a prime Naz (and I would favour them all) - the WBA non-super Champion, Chris John, is someone I haven't heard off so maybe he is an option.

The Super Featherweight devision is somewhat more open, Hernandez is not that good and I wouldn't be surprised if Nanthachai would be a bad traveller. I would certainly avoid Morales, Corrales, Chavez and Casamayor untill about Hamed's fifth bout (and I would favour them all to beat him aswell).

At Lightweight there is a very poor champion in Juaregui and Sim is an unkown quantity. Again, Freitas and Mayweather are to good for any version of Hamed.

I`d bring him back at Super feather....first fight in with any of the domestic cream..Gomez,Arthur,Rees,Lear....Then...depending on the way the fight went....Bobby velardez...then maybe Steve Forbes. If Naz passes the tests....back in with the big boy`s...but he would have to fight with regularity...and not leaving 6-8 months between fights.

bennie wrote:What weight would you bring him back at? Who would you match him with? What titles would you ultimately aim for? (Don't forget the politics involved in your choices...Sports Network wouldn't get a look in, which rules out the likes of Gavin Rees, Michael Gomez et all).
As the latter suggests, I would bring Naseem back at super-feather (or even lightweight to begin with - if he can make nine stone again, let him ease down to it over a number of fights). Now, there's NO way in my opinion, Naz can jump straight into a title fight without as many warm-ups as conceivably possible (before his TV-paymasters start grumbling, anyway).
The first opponent would be very tricky indeed. It would have to be someone acceptable yet beatable; someone who can give him a few rounds yet make him look good. Eric Odumasi is based in this country (though I'm not sure if he's with Sports Network). He's a tough guy with a decent record. He would be a good opponent back. He took Scott Harrison into the 12th and last round at featherweight a few years back, but is now up to super-feather and seems to be on the slide. Yeah, he'd do.
Secondly, I would consider someone like Alex Moon, another fighter past his sell by date with a good resume of names on his record. He's easy to hit, too. He could make a comebacking Naz look spectacular.

More to come...

Do you know something we don't?

Is he coming back?

Rumour has it that he has put on a pound or two and is coming back at super heavy.

The Original Hurricane wrote:Rumour has it that he has put on a pound or two and is coming back at super heavy.

Yes, I wouldn't mind seeing Mike Tyson or a comebacking Lennox Lewis in with Hamed.

naz aint no youngster who needs wraping in cotton wool,plenty of hard sparing and straight for scott harrison who in my opion he could beat easily.

How about our other comeback King, our very own Boxrec celebrity, Dean Phillips, the weight would probably be right, and Dean I am sure would love to take it..

tonyevs wrote:How about our other comeback King, our very own Boxrec celebrity, Dean Phillips, the weight would probably be right, and Dean I am sure would love to take it..

I wonder if Naseem would be able to handle full blown shots and consistent pressure from a strong lightweight, one who would still be in his face after he has given his best.

naz should comeback at no higher than super feather he just has too many disadvantages above that.

he should fight someone in one of the alphabet's top 10 and try and get a title fight i'm sure the champion would be obliging given the money naz brings to the table.

however this does seem another hoax if u ask me, i think naz should stay away and enjoy his life he achieved plenty in his career and has nothing to be ashamed of by not coming back.

Even at super feather he'd be grossly outgunned. Imagine if he fought Chico Corrales, or even Casamayor. He'd get hammered.

It’s all hypothetical really, BUT IF HE IS coming back, with his aforementioned weight increase which has been quoted at around 12stone it is hard to imagine him coming in anything less than super-feather at least, even on a 5” 4 frame, when the weight sets in later years it is harder to shift, or if you do shift it, it comes at a cost!
Dean Phillips would be an excellent choice for him, if his weight is around that limit, two fights back, in your face fighter, not hard to hit.
But the reason why he would not fight Dean is the next I am getting to, a very strong lightweight, likely to absorb his shots, likely to hurt when he lands and finally too riskier fight that does not offer enough in return.
I would expect him to take the celebrity route.
A poor quality foreign fighter, who hasn’t fought for 18months and is weighing at least one weight category above his usual fighting weight. And it would probably help if he was coming off a KO loss.