Much like waiting on his entrances, Naseem Hamed still teases fight fans with a possible comeback.
His flashy style and punching power made him the rock star of the featherweight division. In Hamed’s first fight on HBO, he made Kevin Kelley and Madison Square Garden wait for one of the most dramatic fights I have ever witnessed.
Kelley was known for his wars against Derrick Gainer and Alejandro Gonzalez, and Gonzalez was the only one to have beaten Kelly previous to Hamed.
Hamed made his impression on the HBO public as well as the amped-up New York crowd. Kelley dropped Hamed in the first, second, and fourth rounds, as Hamed’s unorthodox style put him in harm’s way. Hamed rallied to drop Kelley in round two, and finally finished him with two knockdowns in the fourth.
From there, Hamed fought a few talented fighters such as Wayne McCullough and Vuyani Bungu. However, the minute he ran into someone great, namely Marco Antonio Barrera, Hamed was exposed.
Barrera showed that by boxing and timing Hamed, it was possible to dominate the brawler. Hamed lured people in because of his suspect chin and in turn the Prince would hand them a nap. Barrera, who was known for his own wars, boxed circles around the star, unofficially ending Hamed’s career.
Hamed cannot change his style, the same way Roy Jones can’t. They relied on reflexes rather than positioning and boxing skills. These two were absolute wonders to watch the way they would just move and bend out of an opponent’s range. Although Hamed was not in Jones’ league in that category, he was still difficult to hit.
Maybe the most telling sign about Hamed’s retirement was how he went out. Hamed had a comeback fight against Manuel Calvo and seemed disinterested or possibly disheartened. Barrera took away what Hamed thought he was – invincible.
Hamed is the kind of fighter that is still talked about years later. People still wonder how he would fare against the top featherweights and junior lightweights in the world. Well, here’s my analysis:
Manny Pacquiao
Against Pac Man, Hamed would have no chance. Although it could turn into another Kelley-Hamed, it would not last nearly that long. I’m not saying that Hamed couldn’t floor Manny, because he definitely could. The difference? Pacquiao would get up, Hamed would not.
Pacquiao KO 2 Hamed
Juan Manuel Marquez
We saw what Barrera was able to do with his boxing skills. What would Marquez do? He honestly would have a decent shot at not losing a round. He’s a better boxer than Barrera and his power could become a factor down the stretch. With Hamed’s layoff, it’s a long night that ends before the judges hand in their cards.
Marquez KO 10 Hamed
Erik Morales
Barrera and Morales were once equals, but on November 27 Morales will prove that he has surpassed his long time rival. Morales would use his speed, pressure, and boxing skills to overwhelm the Prince.
Morales KO 5 Hamed
Marco Antonio Barrera
Much the same way everyone predicts Winky Wright-Shane Mosley II to be a carbon copy of their first fight, so too would Barrera-Hamed. Barrera still has enough desire, heart, and boxing skills to give Hamed a whipping just like he did in 2001.
Barrera W 12 Hamed.
Hamed finishes 0-4. I personally would like to see Hamed come back, because if he could regain his confidence, he would definitely become a player in both divisions, not to mention a draw for all four fighters. He’d be crazy to get in with Pacquiao, but what a moneymaker that would be. Who wouldn’t buy that on PPV? Hamed could return, win a title belt or two and he’d still be a top-10 fighter even with the three-year layoff. However, if he steps in against the world’s elite, it’s going to be “goodnight, sweet prince.”
