BILOXI, Miss. -- Laila Ali made her prediction come true.
Muhammad Ali's daughter hammered Christy Martin for three rounds, then ended the mismatched battle between the two biggest names in women's boxing with a knockout 48 seconds into the fourth round Saturday night.
"I was the greatest before the fight," Ali said.
Ali predicted her 10-round IBA super middleweight title defense would not go past the fifth round. The prediction appeared right on from the opening bell.
Martin, giving up 6 inches, came right after 5-foot-10 Ali, charging out for the first round.
Ali (16-0, 13 KOs) landed a couple of straight rights to back up Martin, but Martin kept trying to duck inside.
Ali landed a flurry of punches in the final 20 seconds that had Martin wobbling against the ropes. She managed to hang on, but the tone was set. After just one round, Martin's face was reddened and she was beginning to swell under her left eye.
"I usually box, but I had to jump on her," Ali said. "I'm definitely stronger than her. Christy is tough; she's definitely tough. She cracked me, but she didn't hurt me."
Martin (45-3-2, 31 KOs) could barely reach Ali with her punches. When Martin did land, it was never more than one punch and Ali quickly would regroup.
"She was just too big," Martin said. "She was too big. She was in great shape, and she kept on coming. She still fights like an amateur, but all around she was just too big."
http://espn.go.com/boxing/news/2003/0823/1601882.html
Muhammad Ali's daughter hammered Christy Martin for three rounds, then ended the mismatched battle between the two biggest names in women's boxing with a knockout 48 seconds into the fourth round Saturday night.
"I was the greatest before the fight," Ali said.
Ali predicted her 10-round IBA super middleweight title defense would not go past the fifth round. The prediction appeared right on from the opening bell.
Martin, giving up 6 inches, came right after 5-foot-10 Ali, charging out for the first round.
Ali (16-0, 13 KOs) landed a couple of straight rights to back up Martin, but Martin kept trying to duck inside.
Ali landed a flurry of punches in the final 20 seconds that had Martin wobbling against the ropes. She managed to hang on, but the tone was set. After just one round, Martin's face was reddened and she was beginning to swell under her left eye.
"I usually box, but I had to jump on her," Ali said. "I'm definitely stronger than her. Christy is tough; she's definitely tough. She cracked me, but she didn't hurt me."
Martin (45-3-2, 31 KOs) could barely reach Ali with her punches. When Martin did land, it was never more than one punch and Ali quickly would regroup.
"She was just too big," Martin said. "She was too big. She was in great shape, and she kept on coming. She still fights like an amateur, but all around she was just too big."
http://espn.go.com/boxing/news/2003/0823/1601882.html