Boxing Shorts

Ali cheers daughter’s win NEW YORK – Muhammad Ali returned to Madison Square Garden to cheers of “Ali, Ali, Ali” and watched his daughter Laila defend her world super-middleweight title on Saturday.

The cheers continued for Laila, who used a left-right combination to bust the nose of challenger Shelley Burton in the fourth round, retaining her WBC women’s crown and improving her record to 23-0. Minutes before her fight, Ali and his entourage entered the famed arena, the former world champion looking frail and shaking violently from his Parkinson’s disease.When the fighter known simply as ‘The Greatest’ was spotted the crowd of 14 260 began the familiar chant, which grew until it thundered through the building where 35 years ago Ali fought the first of three epic battles against ‘Smokin” Joe Frazier.With his fourth wife, Lonnie, at his side, and longtime friend and companion Howard Bingham and Arthur Mercante Sr, the referee from that first Ali-Frazier clash among the retinue, mobs of fans clustered around trying to get a close look at Ali and using their cell phones to capture his image.Celebrities also flocked to his side, including the actor Dustin Hoffman, who sat beside the former champion and planted a kiss on his cheek.Laila Ali fought conservatively at first, but soon it was clear she could land her big right at will, stunning her fellow-American challenger several times.As the fourth round was drawing to an end, the 28-year-old Ali landed a left-right combination flush to the nose of Burton, who stooped over as blood poured out and referee Arthur Mercante Jr.called the fight off with two seconds left in the round.Klitschko keen on unification NEW YORK – Vladimir Klitschko was pleased by the way he finished Saturday’s bout against Calvin Brock and eager to start the daunting quest of unifying the fractured heavyweight division.”I’m not interested in staying in the sport to just keep fighting,” Klitschko told reporters after stopping the previously unbeaten American in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden to retain his International Boxing Federation crown.”I am interested in unifying the titles.I think the heavyweight division needs a real champion.”That is easier said than done.The brutal work in the ring is the easiest part.Negotiations, options, deals, and back-room politicking are the grimier side of the business.Holyfield fails to impress SAN ANTONIO – Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield scored an unimpressive unanimous decision over fellow American Fres Oquendo in a 10-round fight on Friday night.Holyfield, 44, displayed little of the punching power that made him a four-time heavyweight champion as he continued his bid to become the first five-time heavyweight champion.All three judges at the Alomodome gave the fight to Holyfield, with one judge scoring it 116-111 and the other two scoring the fight 114-113 for the former champion.Many fans in the crowd booed throughout the fight, which featured little sustained action as Holyfield battled a journeyman fighter 11 years his junior.Nampa-ReutersMinutes before her fight, Ali and his entourage entered the famed arena, the former world champion looking frail and shaking violently from his Parkinson’s disease.When the fighter known simply as ‘The Greatest’ was spotted the crowd of 14 260 began the familiar chant, which grew until it thundered through the building where 35 years ago Ali fought the first of three epic battles against ‘Smokin” Joe Frazier.With his fourth wife, Lonnie, at his side, and longtime friend and companion Howard Bingham and Arthur Mercante Sr, the referee from that first Ali-Frazier clash among the retinue, mobs of fans clustered around trying to get a close look at Ali and using their cell phones to capture his image.Celebrities also flocked to his side, including the actor Dustin Hoffman, who sat beside the former champion and planted a kiss on his cheek.Laila Ali fought conservatively at first, but soon it was clear she could land her big right at will, stunning her fellow-American challenger several times.As the fourth round was drawing to an end, the 28-year-old Ali landed a left-right combination flush to the nose of Burton, who stooped over as blood poured out and referee Arthur Mercante Jr.called the fight off with two seconds left in the round.Klitschko keen on unification NEW YORK – Vladimir Klitschko was pleased by the way he finished Saturday’s bout against Calvin Brock and eager to start the daunting quest of unifying the fractured heavyweight division.”I’m not interested in staying in the sport to just keep fighting,” Klitschko told reporters after stopping the previously unbeaten American in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden to retain his International Boxing Federation crown.”I am interested in unifying the titles.I think the heavyweight division needs a real champion.”That is easier said than done.The brutal work in the ring is the easiest part.Negotiations, options, deals, and back-room politicking are the grimier side of the business. Holyfield fails to impress SAN ANTONIO – Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield scored an unimpressive unanimous decision over fellow American Fres Oquendo in a 10-round fight on Friday night.Holyfield, 44, displayed little of the punching power that made him a four-time heavyweight champion as he continued his bid to become the first five-time heavyweight champion.All three judges at the Alomodome gave the fight to Holyfield, with one judge scoring it 116-111 and the other two scoring the fight 114-113 for the former champion.Many fans in the crowd booed throughout the fight, which featured little sustained action as Holyfield battled a journeyman fighter 11 years his junior.Nampa-Reuters