14 - 20 June 2001
Issue No.538
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 14 - 20 June 2001 Issue No.538 |
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Just like dad
LAILA Ali (l) grimaces as Jacqui Frazier-Lyde throws a jab. But Ali scored a majority decision over Frazier-Lyde on Friday night as the daughters of two of boxing's greats slugged it out for eight rounds at Turning Stone Casino in New York.
"She's wild," the 23-year-old Ali said after upping the record of her 20-month pro career to 10-0. "It's always a little surprising when you're actually in the ring with the person fighting you. I know she had feeling behind this fight."
Only Joe Frazier was at ringside -- Mohamed Ali had a prior commitment -- and he watched his oldest daughter put up a good fight.
Frazier-Lyde stormed after Ali in the first round, intent on scoring the knockout she had promised. But Ali withstood the barrage and countered with several shots to Frazier-Lyde's head. The second round produced more of the same, and it ended with both slamming each other toe-to-toe. In the third, Ali stunned Frazier-Lyde with two hard lefts to the head, knocked out her mouthpiece and finished the round with a six-punch combination that staggered Frazier-Lyde some more. But even though Frazier-Lyde, a 39-year-old mother of three, appeared winded at the end of each round, she answered the bell every time with enthusiasm.
Ali landed a series of rights to Frazier-Lyde's head near the end of the fourth round and in the fifth began dancing like her father once did. She even stopped and stared for a few seconds at her tiring foe, then landed a good left with 30 seconds left as she began taking control. The sixth and seventh rounds were just about even, and Frazier-Lyde, her left eye swollen, tried gamely for a knockout in the eighth, even wobbling Ali briefly with a hard left hand.
When the decision was announced, Joe Frazier entered the ring and hugged his daughter. It was her first loss after seven straight knockouts, and she was already thinking about a rematch.
"The Ali camp did not want a rematch, but maybe public demand will change that," Frazier- Lyde said. "I feel fantastic. My family is here and I feel like a winner."
Judge Frankie Adams scored the fight 79-73 for Ali, Tommy Hicks had it even at 76-76, and Don Ackerman had it 77-75 for Ali. The bout attracted a great deal of attention worldwide, with more than 300 media credentials issued.
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