Inspired by watching a Christy Martin televised match, Laila Ali began boxing at age 18 despite initial resistance from her famous father, Muhammad Ali. Her father was concerned for his daughter’s safety, but she knocked out her opponent April Fowler in round one of her first match in 1999. She went on to seal her superstar status with 9 wins in a row.
In 2003, Ali got the chance to fight her inspiration Christy Martin and won with a KO in the 4th round. Laila Ali has held the WBC, WIBA, IWBF, and IBA female super middleweight titles, as well as the IWBF light heavyweight title. She retired from the ring in 2007 and is considered by many to be the greatest female boxer of all time.
Laila Ali became an accomplished television personality and co-authored an autobiography Reach!: Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power. She was inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.