Arab Pride Favored by Casino Players

By Geno McGahee

Naseem Hamed, 36-1, 31 KO’s, left the sport of boxing when he still had much more to give. His rise was quick and his personality and punch captured the imagination of the public. His opposition was usually left in mangled heaps, but one defeat would seem to crush his spirit and put him out of the sport before he became the superstar that many assumed he would.

Hamed is one of the few Arabic boxers that have made it to the world stage in a big way and his performances increased the sports betting at the casinos. Gambling on boxing has been linked to the casinos of Las Vegas, but Arab players have found that they could put down their money online at sites like Saudicasinos.com. From Blackjack and Roulette to horse racing, the online experience has been bringing in the masses. Online poker has become quite the attraction in the Arab countries and with the popularity of Texas Hold’em, the numbers have really increased both in number of players and amount of money put down.

Prince Naseem made his first big splash in New York City when he faced Kevin Kelly in 1997. Hamed was dropped but would get up to demolish the once-defeated Kelly in four rounds. The way that fight transpired and the display of power helped establish Hamed as a man to watch.

He would put together six straight wins after the Kelly fight, four by knockout, and headed into a big pay per view showdown with Mexican superstars, Marco Antonio Barrera. This was supposed to be the moment for Hamed. He was placed against a high quality opponent with durability and when he won, he would be the pay per view entity that his promotion had hoped, but it didn’t happen that way.

Barrera proved too determined and showed better boxing skills then he was given credit for. Hamed had no answer for the incoming and was embarrassed, losing his first fight by a wide decision. He would have won more fight, a decision victory Manuel Calvo in 2002 before leaving the sport.

Naseem Hamed is seen as a meteor, not a star. He burned brightly and burned out quickly, but his time on top was something special.