posted Sep 3, 2007

Not at all. Its just that when somebody states NO CONTEST my mind wanders off to fights like Sanchez/Nelson which were supposed to be formalities but turned out quite the opposite.

As to the question at hand, initially my thoughts were that Hamed would stand no chance against a man who as a 23 year old, virtual unknown, 13 fight novice had the ability to push the great Salvador Sanchez to the brink. Then I remembered the 31 year old Nelson who couldn't master the defensive skills of Pernell Whitaker and dropped a close decision in 1990.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would not write Hamed off but a lot depends on at what age they fought.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

I am more than pleased to join the fray to eulogise one of my hero's... Azumah boom boom Nelson, the greatest african boxer ever!. look this is a no brainer Nelson in his prime and even slightly off his prime would have decimated Hamed. Hamed was explosive but severely technically flawed, nelson was the consunmate boxer puncher and would have decimated much quicker than Barrera. when not up for it and below par Nelson still beat the crap out of the likes of Pat Cowdell and when wound up killed monsters like Fenech. Technically at his best he was superb and we must remember this the man that almost beat the great Sanchez coming in as a up and coming jopurney man African boxer with little time to prepare and then savaged Gomez in his own backyard. In fact the ability to savage very good champions in their backyard is a measure of how great a boxer he was. Trussman you are wrong in that he is definitely up their with Sanchez and greater without question than Gomez, in my estimation he would have gone on to beat Sanchez in a rematch.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

I think Sanchez had his number but i think Nelson is an all time great. Loved the Cowdell uppercut, would of beaten mcguigan. I suppose styles make fights and Angus could have a point but Nelson was fighting 2 divisions above his best against whittaker who was no slouch.
I rate hamed just don't think he'd beat Azumah

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posted Sep 3, 2007

azumah1

I was impressed by Nelson's showing against Sanchez when they fought and the years have not dimmed my enjoyment of this fight. One question for me though has always been how would he have fared in a rematch? When a champion takes an opponent at short notice it is always him who is disadvantaged. A man at the top of his weight class is not going to go out of his way to watch the fights of every 13 fight novice around the world because one day he might fight him at short notice. On the other hand, EVERYBODY watches the champ. Sanchez would have been up for the rematch and beaten Nelson handily I believe.

Also, when was Nelsons prime? I think this question has a big bearing on how we should judge him.

TRUSSMAN5

Nelson fought Sanchez 2 months shy of his 24th birthday. He was 13-0 with no names on his record and only one fight out of Africa. Hamed at the same stage was 27-0, a unified world champion, who had made 9 defences.

We are looking back at this with the hindsight of knowing that Nelson proved he could come back from defeat to prevail and Hamed could not.

If the Nelson who was about to face Sanchez was slated to fight the Hamed who was about to fight Kelley I suspect we would have all said it was a mismatch and chosen Hamed to have won easily.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

I naturally assumed you were talking about when they were at their peak. I assume you are a Naseem Hamed fan not that there is anything wrong with that.
I feel cheated sanchez died when he did. Imagine Sanchez v Chavez at jr light in 1986.

Great legends nelson and sanchez. I still think hamed will fight again and i predict it will be for big money against Khan. If Khans not been exposed by then.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

Well I did watch Hamed make his pro debut and saw him box a lot after that but I wouldn't say I was a 'fan' as such. I would watch two men fighting in the back yard if you set a ring up. I was pleased when Barrera beat him in a way because it was a victory for the old school. I just think to write any fighter off is dangerous.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

Hamed v Khan could have a slight chance of being made one day because there'd be a lot of money riding on it...
But I really can't see Hamed coming back now.
He's too rich and out of shape and his ego was a big factor in his fights... When unbeaten and winning fights he knew he could win, he was so strong, when tasting defeat against Kelley (although he turned that around) and Barrera he seemed to visibly shrink.
I don't think he's ever got over being beat so badly. A bit like Lacy.

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posted Sep 3, 2007

lacy suffered a career threatening injury on his shoulder in his next fight. he still managed to win though. he has had surgury and looks to make a good recovery. maybe we will see him in the future more

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posted Sep 4, 2007

This debate is right up my street.

Hamed was a very good fighter with some excellent gifts who potentially could have been great but ultimately was not due to his technical deficiences and believing in his won hype when he should have been honing and fine tuning his craft.

In a match up with Azumah Nelson, Azumah would have destroyed Hamed as he had to much of everything for Hamed. It is one thing to be an excellent boxer puncher but combined with mega power and technical know how, heart and an excellent chin Azumah would have to much.

As for the Sanchez fight the unkown and inexperienced came in as a last minute substitute and gave Sanchez true hell in a 15 round fight. Nelson's subsequent career and Sanchez untimely death robbed us of a great rematch. In any event Nelson by his performances and record has honoured the legacy of Sanchez in creating his own. I think somewhere up their in boxing heaven Salvador Sanchez is smiling because the last fighter he fought the great Azumah Nelson has honoured him with his exemplary career and performances. I love Sanchez and in my view he might even be the greatest Mexican fighter of all time ahead of Julio Cesar Chavez however I think Nelson would have beat him covincingly in a rematch when he became the finished article in 1984.

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posted Sep 4, 2007

Poppyjack sir, once again you honour us with your insightful wisdom! I couldn't have put it better myself!

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