Ali to fight in Cape Town?

[Dee Williams]

Boxing heroine, Ali to square up in CT

By MESULI ZIFO

www.dispatch.co.za/2006/05/25/SouthAfrica/dali.html

PREPARATIONS are at an advanced stage for a women’s world title fight involving Laila Ali at Cape Town’s Convention Centre in August.

The promoter Joe Manyathi also plans to bring her to East London.

After spending almost a month in the United States negotiating the fight, Manyathi finally returned home brimming with confidence after clinching the biggest deal in his boxing promotion career.

Buoyed by bringing the daughter of Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time, to South Africa Manyathi even boasted he would be the first promoter to pay Laila the biggest pay cheque of her career.

“I am proud to say I will be the first promoter to pay Laila Ali the biggest purse of her boxing career,” he said.

Initially reluctant to reveal how much he would be paying the world’s famous female fighter, Manyathi eventually relented.

“I will be paying her $522000 which translates to something like R3,5 million.”

Although Ali’s opponent is yet to be confirmed by the World Boxing Council, the bout has already generated huge interest in South African corporate and boxing sectors with sponsors pouring in.

The Daily Dispatch has also been inundated with calls from businesses which are keen to be involved in the historic fight.

Manyathi was complimentary about Ali’s flexibility during their negotiations for the fight.

“She was mostly impressed by what South Africa has achieved since the death of apartheid.

“You must remember that the Alis are staunch supporters of the liberation struggle dating back from the time Muhammad Ali defied the order to serve in the US army to attack Vietnam. That is when he was even stripped of his world heavyweight crown.”

Now suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Ali could not resist coming to visit former president Nelson Mandela a few years ago.

Manyathi said Laila also wanted to come to South Africa when her father visited Mandela.

“She could not because her boxing career was taking off then,” Manyathi said.

“But she was adamant that she would get her turn – and when this opportunity to fight in Mandela’s country came she did not hesitate.”

Manyathi said Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile also played a role in bringing the young boxer to South Africa.

“I made a presentation to him and he was impressed and immediately supported the project.”

The Daily Dispatch was unable to get comment from Stofile yesterday.

Manyathi has plans for Laila to participate in fundraising for charity.

He has also arranged for her to visit East London to donate boxing equipment to a boxing gymnasium for the disadvantaged.

======

See also

www.womenboxing.com/NEWS2006/news051906ali.htm

[marcel]

That would mean a Ragosina match in Moscow is not happening.

[Willie Edwards]

laila you go girl,get that money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dee Williams]

'Stealth Bomber', Ali on in Cape Town

By Steve Ninvalle
Monday, June 26th 2006

www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=56498193


The on and off return fight between Gwendolyn `The Stealth Bomber' O'Neil and Laila Ali now seems to be on again. O'Neil's manager Seon Bristol disclosed yesterday that he has been given verbal confirmation that the fight will be held on August 5 in South Africa.

"By tomorrow (today) we will have written confirmation. The contract will be sent and I can say that I'm 95 percent sure that this fight will come off," Bristol told Stabroek Sport in a telephone interview from New York.

"We are happy for another chance to fight Miss Ali and I'm confident that Gwendolyn is capable of defeating her." O'Neil had her first taste of the 28-year-old Ali in September 2004 when she challenged the world's most famous female fighter for the vacant International Women's Boxing Federation (IWBF) light heavyweight title.

The fight ended in a third round knockout defeat for O'Neil who later claimed that she was made ill by something she ate before the fight. Before that the two were scheduled to meet in Nigeria.

Later on Ali, undefeated in 22 fights with 19 knockouts and also a world champion, and O'Neil, a mother of five, were scheduled to have a rematch in Dubai in April this year but the fight fell through.

The 36-year-old O'Neil, the only Guyanese to win two world titles, first won the WIBA light heavyweight title in May 2004 after a unanimous decision over American Kathy Rivers at the National Park. She earned her second world title (WIBC light heavyweight) after out pointing Krystal Lessey in December 2004. Stabroek Sport has learnt that the WIBA and the WBC light heavyweight title will be at stake in Cape Town on August 5. According to Bristol, O'Neil's trainer Lennox Daniels will make the decision on whether the Guyanese should move to the USA to prepare for the up coming bout.

[Dee Williams]

(JULY 4)

On August 5th, in Cape Town, South Africa, Laila "She Bee Stingin'" Ali will be fighting Gwendolyn O'Neil. The fight will be shown live here in the states on InDemand PPV. (Check your local listings.) This will be a rematch for the two, with Ali winning the first time out in September of 2004.

Team Ali told WBAN, "Laila is very excited about fighting in Africa and has said this is a place where she always wanted to fight."

Laila's original opponent, Ijeoma Egbunine, with whom her team had an agreement with for over three weeks---had to back out last week. According to Team Ali, the fight was agreed to in principal but not on paper. Unfortunately, there were a few complications that led this fight not to happen. The biggest complication with Egbunine, had to do with passport issues, which have not been resolved. Without this issue being resolved---Egbunine would not be allowed to fight in Cape Town.

Team Ali said they were not told by Egbunine's promoter, nor her manager during the negotiations.

"This was not found out by us until about two weeks ago. We had been talking to her team for over a month and this never came out. Needless to say Laila was very disappointed that this fight would not happen as this is the fight she wanted," added Team Ali.

Laila will now focus on Gwendolyn O'Neil. Team Ali also said that they are looking to fight Ann Wolfe possibly in November---a matchup everyone has long been waiting to see.

Source: Damon Bingham/Team Ali

www.womenboxing.com/NEWS2006/news070406ali.htm

[Rick Scharmberg]

"Don't want to play Sun City!"

[Willie Edwards]

laila much luv to you my sweet ,go kick some butt ,and i will see you soon ,real soon!

[Dee Williams]

Showdown with Laila Ali


By Steve Ninvalle
Wednesday, July 5th 2006

www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=56498717

Female sparring partners are as scarce as the proverbial hen's tooth forcing world light heavyweight champion Gwendolyn `The Stealth Bomber' O'Neil to turn to an all-male team in preparation for her August 5 showdown with Laila Ali.

"Is bare man I have to spar with. I can't get no females to come in," O'Neil complained in a recent interview with Stabroek Sport.

O'Neil commenced sparring session at the Andrew `Six Head' Lewis gym on Sunday and boxed two rounds each with middleweight Winston Pompey and Moses Dey.

"I hardly get women to spar with. I calling out Pammy (Pamela London) but she ain't coming," O'Neil said. The Guyanese will match gloves for the second time with Ali on August 5 in South Africa.

It will be O'Neil's second fight for the year. The first time she matched gloves with Ali, O'Neil suffered a third round knockout. Trainer Lennox Daniels is confident that O'Neil now has a better chance of ending Ali's undefeated status.

"I think that Gwendolyn has learnt from her mistake the last time. We have looked at the tapes and are now basically going through the mistakes that Gwendolyn made and Ali's weaknesses," Daniels said. According to Daniels his charge will be fully prepared for Ali's swiftness in the ring. "We have been training with people with fast and long hands just like Ali. There is something in boxing called School Combat and School Boxing and that is what we are doing right now."

The trainer said that if he has his way O'Neil would remain sparring with the men. He pointed out that a decision on whether to shift camp to the USA will be taken later.

"I think that it is better that she spars with the men. They are faster and hit harder. I wouldn't have problems with her going up to the USA maybe two weeks before the fight to finish off preparations. But that is all up to the manager Seon Bristol," Daniels added.

In South Africa the 36-year-old O'Neil, the WIBC light heavyweight champion, will challenge for the WBC and WIBA titles.