Vegas is next for pounds 6m Naz

Prince Naseem Hamed adjusted his lopsided crown and pledged to party furiously into the New York night after coming so close to a Madison Square Garden debut disaster.

In the city that never sleeps, WBO world featherweight champion Naseem got all but tucked up and read a bedtime story by New York's Kevin Kelley, former WBC world title-holder.

Naseem came through with a fourth-round knockout after taking three counts himself and now wants to conquer Las Vegas after winning over the New York fight crowd.

Although US cable TV giants HBO almost saw their pounds 2m investment in Naseem go tumbling, supremo Sef Abraham said: "He's still got a zero at the end of his record and until someone takes that away, nothing is diminished.

"People will root against him and root for him - but they're definitely going to watch him."

Men like Canadian IBF super-featherweight champion Arturo Gatti, new WBO junior featherweight champion Kennedy McKinney plus Kelley again are being lined up to earn Naz a pounds 6million BASIC in 1998.

Abraham added: "HBO is making a very big investment in Hamed and we want to know quickly what is next."

Kelley claimed: "Naseem has a lot to learn. I exposed him as not yet being quite the fighter everyone thought he was."

Promoter Frank Warren said: "Don't tell me Naseem hasn't sold himself - the next time he fights here there won't be a venue big enough."

Warren is talking 40,000 crowds to see a return with Kelley and added: "All the big players want Naz now - Donald Trump and the Caesar's Palace people have been in touch."

Naseem said: "I've come here and proved myself. In the city that never sleeps, I ain't sleeping tonight - I'm going to party all the way!"

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