Starnet Communications International Inc. (OTC BB:SNMM) has entered into an online gaming promotional agreement with Larry Holmes, former heavyweight boxing Champion of The World and WBC crown holder.
Sports fans and betting aficionados will be invited to "Bet With The Champ" at Larry's Internet Sportsbook and Casino (http://www.betwiththechamp.com). Holmes, who's ranked as one of the Top Ten heavyweight boxers of all time, held the WCB crown from 1978 until 1985. He's the second longest reigning champion next to Joe Lewis and is second only to Rocky Marciano for the record of straight wins with 48. His' 1978 battle with Ken Norton for the World Boxing Council championship is considered one of the classic heavyweight bouts of all time.
A Pennsylvania native, Holmes' boxing career has spanned 25 years with a record of 66-6—including 42 knockouts—and he's fought many boxing greats, including Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Gerry Cooney, Ken Norton, Michael Spinks and Muhammed Ali. He's scheduled to face fellow heavyweight legend George Foreman in a non-title, 12-round bout in Houston on Jan. 23, 1999. The fight will be broadcast live via the Internet and the Bet With The Champ Sportsbook will be accepting wagers for the bout.
Larry Holmes owns and operates several nightclubs and restaurants and has considerable real estate holdings that include banking facilities and a courthouse. He also published his autobiography, "Against The Odds. "
"I am really looking forward to the opportunity of working with Larry Holmes on this Internet Sportsbook and Casino site," Starnet Vice President of Marketing Bret Conkin said. "Mr. Holmes has a unique talent for capitalizing on his exceptional abilities as an athlete and turning them into a business success. I am predicting that the 'Bet With The Champ' Sportsbook will become a major destination for those who would like to place sports wagers and use the Internet for casino style games."
World Gaming Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Starnet, will be the operator through which the online wagers and sportsbook bets may be placed at the Bet With The Champ Internet site. The company is a licensee of Softec Systems Caribbean Inc., another of Starnet's wholly owned subsidiaries.
Because of the legal uncertainties surrounding on-line wagering in North America, World Gaming does not accept wagers from within the United States and Canada.
Softec will be providing the entire online gaming system used by the Bet With The Champ site. The system incorporates Starnet's proprietary 128-bit encryption and credit card transaction and processing technology (STAR-MX).