Former Boxer Said El Harrak Makes His Mark In Poker
Retired super welterweight professional boxer Said El Harrak (12-4-2, 7KO) is a man who is used to being in the spotlight. He’s fought on the undercard of the “Fight of the Century” and now he’s making moves under a completely different spotlight.
After moving to Santa Clarita, California as a youngster, the Moroccan took up boxing and stepped into the ring eighteen times without disgracing himself. His record stood at twelve wins, four losses, and two draws before he hung up his gloves after losing to current top super welterweight contender Terrell Gausha in 2015.
A CHANGE IN CAREERS
Fighting out of Henderson, Nevada , little did he know his next career would literally be found just down the road in Las Vegas. He now cites poker as his profession and he’s certainly seen success!
El Harrak can now say he’s also been a knockout on the green felt of the poker table as he’s won on the World Series of Poker circuit. But, it’s not the only crossover between pugilism and poker, as there are many prominent names from both sides of the divide who’ve had success.
OTHER BOXING/POKER CONNECTIONS
Former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia, who is set to make a comeback in April against Emanuel Tagoe has often been seen taking to the tables. Current WBA #1 ranked middleweight Chris Eubank Jnr. is another fighter who loves to go all in. He’s put himself up as a potential opponent in a competition in London with the extra incentive being whoever brings his knockout from the table will bag themselves £10,000 ($13,000).
Meanwhile, one person who made the step in the opposite direction is Phil Ivey; one of the best poker players ever. Not content with winning ten World Series of Poker bracelets and earning over $25 million in winnings, he co-founded All In Entertainment with Jeff Fried. The pair supported Dusty Hernandez-Harrison at the start of his boxing career and promoted former unbeaten two-division world champion Andre Ward, before his retirement.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SIMULARITIES
Many may wonder why two of the most popular activities that seem so opposed come together with such frequency may find it difficult to see where the link comes from. However, there are tangible crossovers. Both boxing and poker rely heavily on strategy and the best exponents train hard to become the best.
The best champions don’t rely on having a puncher’s chance, and poker players won’t stack up for long if they’re wildly going all-in, hoping they’ll scare off the other players. Remember, an average fighter can defeat a world champion if the champion is not mentally prepared. Similarly, the poker player can experience a massive loss with a momentary lapse of concentration.
Observation and patience are massive in both activities and part of the best game plan. Boxers will look for the right time to attack, waiting until their opponent’s defenses are down before dealing a knockout blow.
In poker, the players at the table look for tells, as they aim to read the other player’s intentions before committing to make a move of their own. The similarities go further. You need resilience, self-courage, sharp decision-making, and a positive attitude before being able to take home the fruits of your labor.
A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION
For El Harrak, there’s no doubt his successes are born out of his ability to embrace discipline. He is certainly thankful for his boxing career and its influence because he might not have picked up around $750,000 in winnings to date at the table without it.
“I became a professional boxer. In 2016, I retired. I love poker, so I said, ‘let me try to take my last
paycheck in boxing and put it in poker.’ I’ve been doing it nonstop.”“Boxing is about reading your opponent. I feel like I can pick up on tells and betting patterns. I like the psychological act of the game.”
Said El Harrak – Retired Super Welterweight Contender
So, there you have it! You ever thought there was no connection between the sweet science and poker, consider the opinion of El Harrak and it might just change your mind.
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