The Hindu : Sport : Laila does Ali proud

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 13, 2005

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Sport

Laila does Ali proud

WASHINGTON: Her dad came to watch, and Laila Ali did him proud.

With Muhammad Ali at ringside on Saturday night, Laila pounded Erin Toughill into submission in the third round to remain undefeated and become the first woman to win a World Boxing Council title.

Muhammad Ali got into the ring, hugged his daughter and gave her tender kisses after she stopped the outclassed Toughill at 1:59 of the third round. Toughill took about 20 consecutive punches in her corner before referee Joseph Cooper stepped in to stop the fight.

Laila, who is generally recognised as the top woman in boxing, improved to 21-0 by winning the super middleweight fight against a fighter with far less experience.

``It's wonderful anytime my dad is there,'' Laila said. ``It lights a fire in me.''

Laila had promised to give Toughill a beating, and she did just that in the fight on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Kevin McBride fight.

Toughill had only eight professional fights in five years, and four of those were against women who had never had a fight.

``She talks like me,'' Muhammad Ali said.

``I back it up, too, don't I, Daddy?'' Laila replied. Toughill did land some effective punches in the first round, mostly left hooks. But Ali's speed and power were too much and she began taking a beating in the second round.

By the end, Toughill (6-2-1) could not punch back.

``People are not used to seeing me hit my opponent like that,'' Laila said. ``She was cowering in the corner.''

Muhammad Ali was impressed not only with his daughter's speaking ability, but her fighting ability. ``She's bad,'' Muhammad Ali said. ``It runs in the family.''

As the ring was clearing out after the fight, Muhammad Ali was formally announced, and he responded by throwing a few punches in the air to the crowd.— AP

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