Whatever happened to the Champions & Contenders who've graced our sport.

Anthony 'Sugar Ray, Clay, Jones Jr.' Small.

I once had the pleasure of meeting Anthony Small in Loughton, London. Friendly, cheerful and engaging he had the raw attributes, if not the ring smarts, to fight on the world stage. So it's sad to he's become a pariah and terrorist sympathizer #WastedTalent.

http://youtu.be/xc4HXZOD0w0

Tyrone 'The One' Brunson

Mismanaged, over-hyped and finished. Brunson really did have talent, however in pursuit of Edwin Valero's KO record his promoters set him against sub-standard opposition, even shipping him off to New Zealand to KO debutants years into his career #DeontayWilder

Brunson hasn't fought since his KO loss in 2009. He returns on March 24th.



Prince Naz

British fans will tell you he was among the Gr8's. US fans will tell you he was over-rated. Why? Because British fans followed Naz throughout his career and watched his decline, US fans discovered him post Kevin Kelly. No one would dispute he was among the most exciting fighters ever #Legend

He now lives on a golf course near London and works with Frank Warren.



Ike 'The President' Ibeabuchi

People decry the quality in the HW division. True, the 90's produced some of the classic match-ups in the divisions history. Beyond Tyson, Lewis and Holyfield there was The President. Despite his title Ibeabuchi didn't have Tyson's lawyers and was sentenced for sexual assault in 2001.

He's due for parole in May #Deportation



Fayte.

Always good fun ...

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"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -- Tyson.

Speaking of whom ...

Prince Naseem on Kell Brook ...

http://youtu.be/-Fw-bcNY5go

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"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -- Tyson.

Man, Hamed was some fighter. We'll not see his like again.

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I look in your eyes and c fear! Ill take your sole and give it the devil

More or less. Chalk this US fan's opinion under the "over rated" column. Every fighter has issues outside the ring, bad management, drug/ alcohol abuse, etc. In the end it's what they do in the ring.

Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep, Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Gomez, Eric Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Naseem Hamed...

One of those names doesn't belong. British great, yes, all time great, no.

^ I think that's a balanced assessment.

My gripe with US fans is they tend to forget Naz was universally ranked as #2 P4P in Boxing throughout the late 90's. He cleared out his division, beat champions and unified titles. Barrera and Morales declined the opportunity to fight him on successive occasions.

Barrera only agreed after Naz's career worst performance. Naz never fought well Stateside, but most of all, he didn't comeback and that's a fact no one can excuse.

However, at his peak would he beat Marquez? Absolutely. Pacquiao at Featherweight? Probably. Mayweather? Probably not.

Emanuel Steward On Why Hamed Lost To Barrera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMo8py9zJRU

Others would beg to differ ...

Prince Naseem Hamed Has Mad Style

http://youtu.be/OXpRHQdUpew

Legacy is key here though. Whether you're Khan, Brook or even Malignaggi and Jose Benavidez, Naz inspired thousands of kids to enter the sport. That, above all, is why he should be remembered as a Legend.

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"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -- Tyson.

The closest comparison with Naseem is Tyson.

Think about it:

Both had once in a generation natural talent

Both hit their peak early

Both were never the same after they split with their original training team

Both had all time great punching power

Both had major charisma that transcended the sport

Both used highly eccentric styles which combined attack and defense in an unorthodox fashion

Both were famous for their power but both went downhill after they stopped using the jab

Both achieved great things although

Given the level they could have reached they both have to be considered to some extent underachievers

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I look in your eyes and c fear! Ill take your sole and give it the devil

Naz's physical gifts were rare and his power was off the charts for his size and, yes, we probably won't see that in another featherweight in a long, long, time. Maybe never again in our lifetimes.

Imagine if Tyson (crazy speed and power) would have simply disappeared after losing to Douglas... over rated, right? But even then Tyson had his moments against Douglas, Naz had zero, despite Steward's pleading.

Beat me to it, Brooklyn.

Despite Steward pleading with Naz to fight Buster Douglas? Eh?

Kidding, I get it. But I'm afraid Tyson is overrated. For example he had his moments against Douglas, a guy who knocked him silly, a guy he should have beaten handily. Contrast the MAB fight Naz lost: took a prime Barrera the distance and the fight wasn't the shut out many have talked up. It was a solid points win for sure, that's fair, but it wasn't a one sided thrashing. Two judges had it 115-112 and one 116-111. That's not the score of a fighter with zero moments.

Mostly though, Tyson is overrated because he never won a clutch fight as a professional fighter. He never beat anyone he was supposed to lose to. Hamed did that several times throughout his career.

Don't get me wrong, I love Tyson as a boxer. He was tremendous. Then again, I think Hamed was a marvel also.

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I look in your eyes and c fear! Ill take your sole and give it the devil

Point deduction. Forget the score, it wasn't exactly a great action fight, Barrera controlled it at an average pace, and Naz... really didn't do too much, a couple big right hands and some left hooks.