Prince Naseem did it again. The Yemeni world boxing champion defeated Spain’s Manuel Calvo by unanimous decision in the 12th round in an exciting match in the Docklands Arena in London on Saturday night after an exhausting and long battle. Prince Naseem failed, however, to knock out the European featherweight Calvo, who has never been knocked out in any of his previous 38 fights.
This win, even if difficult, has indeed revived hopes and spirits in millions of Yemenis, who have been somewhat disappointed for Prince Naseem’s defeat from Barrera. But no doubt, this win will resemble a moral and psychological boost for Naz and all his fans.
Even though this match seems to be a good refreshing start after more than 12 months out of the ring, yet the former world boxing champion along with his supporters are really looking ahead to a rematch with Mexico’s Antonio Barrera — who took away his undefeated record last year.
As for retiring, Hamed said “There’s no way I’ll be retiring before Barrera gets beat by me.”
On the other hand, Hamed’s brother Riadh said that retirement was never an option, “We will not be pressured into making these fights. Naz is a much more mature guy than he was a few years ago. We left him at his own pace and it was always a question of when and where his next fight would be, never if it would be.”
After 35 straight wins, including 31 knockouts, Hamed lost to Barrera by a unanimous decision in Las Vegas in April 2001.

Ma – Isn’t it awful! The only time you really see extravagance and wasteful abuse of the blessings we have, particularly food and drink, is during the holy month of Ramadan.
M – And this abuse and extravagance is apparent from the smallest to the largest household. During the month of Ramadan, some streets and the marketplace turn into places for making and selling all sorts of food. It’s as if people are split into two groups during Ramadan – those who make food and drink, grilling, frying, messing and generally making muck, and those who spend their money buying this food and drink without caring whether it’s good and nourishing or likely to give you stomach cramps and make you sick.
Ma – That’s not the only thing. Some employees take a holiday; they get hold of a frying pan and stove and set themselves up in the middle of the street to make samousas; and those who don’t have a job or who are skiving from the workshop during the month of Ramadan are transformed into producers of cakes and fried food and drinks. As they say, ‘Jump, and to Hell with the consequences!’1
M – Yes, that’s what that saying means! They spend hours doing something they know nothing about, either in terms of its benefits or the harm it can do, and without permission or a license to do what they’re doing to make sure the food is healthy. Then they go and block the roads with their wares and all the stuff they need to make it.
Ma – And there’s something even more dangerous than that.
M – Go on!
Ma – The gas canisters lining the length of the marketplace are right next to the flaming gas stoves and the frying pans layered in soot and filth which bubble oil like the fires of Hell mixed with all the dust and fumes. What they’ve done is turn a marketplace crowded with people into a piece of Hell.
M – What a wonderful description you’ve just given of people and the marketplace, Mus’ida! Anyone listening to you now would think you’d become an ace reporter!
Ma – The state the marketplace is in at the moment is pretty clear for all to see, Mus’id. It certainly isn’t in need of any reporters or newspapers.
M – That’s right. And this state, which is more apparent during Ramadan than at any other time, is one type of environmental pollution.
Ma – Quite!
M – ‘Having a go’ at making food, drinks and cakes without the necessary knowledge and without a proper license or proper inspection, and without the consumer being aware of what’s going on is one form of pollution. Setting up gas canisters next to flaming stoves and frying pans with boiling oil and poisonous gases rising into the air when the marketplace is packed with people is another, and every man and woman should take on board what’s going on. As the Yemeni proverb goes, ‘At forty days old, a child won’t get a squint!’

1 The original relates to the pre-Revolution ban on musical instruments, when musicians would hide their instruments under their clothes and go to secret meeting places to play. The saying in its more literal sense is, ‘Jump, and don’t worry about the noise!’