BoxRec

I found this on an archive of Naz's official website from February 2001.

Fighter - Marco Antonio Barrera Poor defence.
Weaknesses - Lacks one punch KO power.
Prediction - KO, 2-3
Prospect - Good. Great action packed fight. Let's get it on!

Fighter - Erik Morales
Weaknesses - Slow. No rhythm or footwork.
Prediction - KO in 4
Prospect - Has said he wants no part of Naz till May, 2001

Fighter - Johnny Tapia
Weaknesses - Lacks power. Willingness to trade punches will spell trouble vs Naz.
Prediction - KO in 5
Prospect - Refused a $1.5 million offer to fight in August.

Fighter - Angel Vasquez
Weaknesses - Straight up, forward moving fighter with little defence.
Prediction - KO, 3-4
Prospect - Could be a good one in 2000.

Fighter - Freddie Norwood
Weaknesses - Inconsistent. Doesn't always come to fight.
Prediction - KO, 5-6
Prospect - Norwood's legal problems prevented an August fight.

Fighter - Juan Manuel Marquez
Weaknesses - Too predictable.
Prediction - KO, 4-5
Prospect - Refused a challenge to fight in August.

Fighter - KoKo Kovacks
Weaknesses - Too green.
Prediction - KO 1-2
Prospect - WBO #1 contender. Needs to beat a ranked opponent.

Fighter - Floyd Mayweather
Weaknesses - Party lifestyle. Cautious fighter, untested chin. Not a box office draw yet.
Prediction - KO, 5-6
Prospect - Talented fighter. The big fight at 130 lbs when Naz moves up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Every prediction on that list proves how over confident he had become of his power. He could never have KO'd Morales, Tapia, Barrera, or Mayweather even at his very best. And who is KoKo Kovacks?

Koko was a decent fighter and former WBO world champion. He was nothing special , but made a big deal , saying that Naz 'ducked' him. That wasnt true as Naz was looking at career defining fights.

I think he may have stopped Tapia. Barrera could have stopped Tapia should he have wanted to , but chose to jab him for the full 12.

Tapia never really took on a puncher as big as Hamed.

Hamed did go 'KO crazy' and that was definitley his undoing, i think he could have won against Barrera if he tried to box as he wouldnt have been as predictiable for Marco.

Tom Podmore.

Tapia was well and truly past it when he faced Barrera, in his prime nobody ever came close to stopping him, and he was an excellent defensive fighter as well.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Tapia was well and truly past it when he faced Barrera, in his prime nobody ever came close to stopping him, and he was an excellent defensive fighter as well.

Agreed.

Tapia was past by the time of the 'Hitlist' , could you see Hamed stopping him circa 2001??

Tom Podmore.

is a comeback really believable and if so can he get back to the levels of before?