{"id":36648,"date":"2024-10-07T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/?p=36648"},"modified":"2024-10-07T13:20:07","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T13:20:07","slug":"portrait-laila-ali","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/","title":{"rendered":"Laila Ali: Portrait of a Boxing Champion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muhammad Ali is one of the legendary names in boxing history. Few people know, however, that <a href=\"https:\/\/universboxe.com\/blogs\/champions-boxe\/laila-ali\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the daughter of this boxing icon<\/a> followed in her father\u2019s footsteps. Laila Ali is now a retired professional boxer. Was she as impressive as her father? Did she achieve comparable success in this sport? Here, we invite you to discover the biography of the boxer Laila Ali.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Sommaire<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a78584032d0e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a78584032d0e\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#Birth_in_Florida\" >Birth in Florida<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#Glorious_Beginnings_in_Boxing\" >Glorious Beginnings in Boxing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#The_Making_of_a_Great_Boxer\" >The Making of a Great Boxer<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#Fight_Against_Jackie_Frazier\" >Fight Against Jackie Frazier<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#A_Boxer_with_Her_Fathers_Temperament\" >A Boxer with Her Father\u2019s Temperament<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#Laila_Ali_Multiple_World_Champion\" >Laila Ali, Multiple World Champion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#Final_Fight_and_Retirement_in_2007\" >Final Fight and Retirement in 2007<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-laila-ali\/#A_Trailblazer_in_Womens_Boxing\" >A Trailblazer in Women\u2019s Boxing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Birth_in_Florida\"><\/span>Birth in Florida<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laila Ali was born on December 30, 1977, in Miami, Florida. <strong>She is one of the two daughters that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/portrait-of-the-boxer-muhammad-ali\/\">Muhammad Ali<\/a><\/strong> had with his third wife, Veronica Porsche Ali. She is part of the legendary boxer\u2019s family of nine children. She lived a normal and stable life with her mother and sister, completing her studies with a business degree from Santa Monica College in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Glorious_Beginnings_in_Boxing\"><\/span>Glorious Beginnings in Boxing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laila Ali decided to train as a boxer at the age of 18. <strong>She was primarily inspired by Christy Martin, a prominent figure of that time<\/strong>. Muhammad Ali always expressed his dislike for Laila&#8217;s decision to become a boxer, considering it a dangerous path for her. <strong>Despite her father\u2019s hesitations, Laila continued her training<\/strong>, eventually making her official debut in 1999 in Verona, New York.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1.jpg\" alt=\"laila ali\" class=\"wp-image-35664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/portrait-of-young-black-woman-in-boxing-ring-2023-11-27-05-26-31-utc-1-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Laila Ali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In her first professional Middleweight boxing match, <strong>she defeated April Fowler in just 31 seconds<\/strong>. The portrait of a future champion began to emerge. Three thousand fans from upstate New York were there to witness the match, along with numerous journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Making_of_a_Great_Boxer\"><\/span>The Making of a Great Boxer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After her first, easily-won match, fans wondered if Laila Ali could confirm her talent or if her initial victory was just a stroke of luck. In her second fight, Laila Ali defeated Shadina Pennybaker, who was just a beginner in the sport. However, <strong>the youngest daughter of Muhammad Ali would quickly prove her power by winning six more fights<\/strong>. The image of a great athlete following in her father\u2019s footsteps was solidified, despite a brief scare in 2000 when Karen Bill knocked her down with an uppercut in the second round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fight_Against_Jackie_Frazier\"><\/span>Fight Against Jackie Frazier<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After her eight victories in as many fights, fans began calling for a match between Laila Ali and Jackie Frazier, the daughter of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/joe-frazier-biography\/\">Joe Frazier<\/a><\/strong>, who had also been a professional boxer for a few years. The match generated so much buzz that it was eventually scheduled for June 8, 2001, in New York State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entire state of New York, and boxing fans across the USA, awaited this match eagerly. The event attracted a large crowd, and they were not disappointed. The fight went the full distance, with <strong>Laila Ali claiming victory over Frazier<\/strong> by judge\u2019s decision. Both celebrities ended the match on friendly terms, smiling. This match gained international attention, and Muhammad Ali&#8217;s daughter increased her popularity in the boxing world following her victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Boxer_with_Her_Fathers_Temperament\"><\/span>A Boxer with Her Father\u2019s Temperament<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there\u2019s one thing Laila and Muhammad Ali have in common, it\u2019s their character. Like her father, Laila Ali has a strong personality, which likely shaped her boxing profile. Determination and fierce resolve are part of her nature, making her an athlete who never backs down and never seems intimidated in the ring. <strong>Just like Muhammad Ali, Laila is known for her trash talk<\/strong> and doesn\u2019t hesitate to tease her opponents before stepping into the ring.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"laila ali boxer\" class=\"wp-image-35294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/boxeuses-sportives-ameliorant-coups-poing-ring-deux-filles-boxe-sport-lumiere-bleue-ring-faisant-coups-rapides-se-regardant-mains-reaction-activite-sportive-concept-boxe-feminine-1-1-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Laila Ali Boxer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Laila_Ali_Multiple_World_Champion\"><\/span>Laila Ali, Multiple World Champion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although her fight against Jackie is Laila Ali\u2019s most well-known event, her career is filled with success. Laila Ali accumulated victories in the boxing world and claimed multiple world titles, in the middleweight division and beyond. Here are the titles won by one of the greatest champions in women\u2019s boxing history:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>IBA Middleweight Champion from 2002 to 2004<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IWBF Super Middleweight title from 2002 to 2004<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IWBF Light Heavyweight title in 2004<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WIBA Super Middleweight title from 2002 to 2007<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WBC (World Boxing Council) title, the most prestigious, from 2005 to 2007<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, Muhammad Ali\u2019s daughter achieved everything possible. Even better, <strong>she remained undefeated, securing 24 victories<\/strong> throughout her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Fight_and_Retirement_in_2007\"><\/span>Final Fight and Retirement in 2007<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laila Ali faced her final opponent in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a match against Gwendolyn O\u2019Neil in 2007. The victory was quickly awarded to Laila Ali, who defeated her opponent in the first round with a TKO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of an impressive career that marked women\u2019s professional boxing, <strong>Laila Ali decided to retire<\/strong>. Having claimed all possible titles and defeated the greatest opponents of her time, she had nothing left to prove. Laila Ali proved her father wrong, as he had always been skeptical, even reluctant, about her following in his footsteps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Trailblazer_in_Womens_Boxing\"><\/span>A Trailblazer in Women\u2019s Boxing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Laila Ali made significant contributions to promoting and popularizing women\u2019s boxing<\/strong>. The world of women\u2019s boxing was different before and after Laila. Although she owes part of her popularity to her father, Laila Ali undeniably earned her success, with her talent and achievements speaking for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#ece9e8\">Would you like to take <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/boxing-lessons-for-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">women\u2019s boxing classes in Brussels<\/a><\/strong>? Our English Boxing Club is perfect for you! Whatever your level, we offer a <strong>FREE trial class<\/strong>. You can reach us at +32 473 29 42 99 or via the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact form<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Muhammad Ali is one of the legendary names in boxing history. Few people know, however, that the daughter of this<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":35293,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36648"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36653,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36648\/revisions\/36653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nbsboxing.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}