Biloxi (Mississippi), Aug 24: Laila Ali, daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, continued to build her own ring resume with a fourth-round knockout of women's boxing pioneer Christy Martin. Ali pounded Martin from the opening bell, and had her on her knees in the third round. When Ali sent her to the canvas 48 seconds into the fourth, Martin was counted out.
Ali, 25, improved to 16-0 with 13 wins inside the distance and was congratulated in the ring by her famous father.
Martin, 35, fell to 45-3-2, with 30 wins inside the distance.
The background of the two fighters saw the bout billed as the biggest to date in women's boxing.
Martin is a veteran of 14 years in the ring, who became a reluctant ambassador for women's boxing when she was on the cover of sports illustrated in 1996.
She gave up six inches in height, some 20 pounds in weight and 10 years to Ali, - a relative newcomer to the sport whose family name and model's looks quickly garnered the kind of attention Martin battled years to earn.
Ali had vowed to stop Martin inside five rounds, and she came out to make good on the prediction.
"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."
"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." Bureau Report