JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – Big Guyanese boxer Gwendolyn O’Neil gets a second opportunity this weekend to fight the world’s leading women’s boxer Laila Ali, daughter of heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
The two will meet at Emperor’s Palace Casino on Saturday for Ali’s World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight titles.
The undefeated Ali had beaten O’Neil easily – in three rounds – when they met first in September 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia, and she is a heavy favourite to reaffirm her superiority over the 37-year-old Caribbean veteran.
This fight – the first woman’s professional match in the history of South African boxing – was scheduled for August last year but was called off at the last minute because of contractual disagreements between Ali and the promoters.
Ali boasts a solid record of 23-0 with 20 knockouts and says she expects a stiffer challenge from O’Neil this time.
“I know Gwendolyn will be better prepared this time and a more formidable opponent, so I’m not taking anything for granted,” 29-year-old Ali told reporters.
O’Neil has a ring record of 12 wins (7 knockouts) against four losses and since her loss to Ali almost 2-1/2 years ago, she has logged a three-fight winning streak – scoring victories at home against little-rated Guyanese Margaret Walcott (4th round TKO) and Pamela London (points), and Trinidad and Tobago’s Krystal Lessey (points).
Saturday’s card will also feature former world super featherweight champion Cassius Baloyi tackling Argentina’s Nazareno Ruiz for the vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) title.
The bout is an opportunity for Baloyi to revive his career that was derailed last July when Guyana’s Gary St Clair beat him on points for the IBF and IBO titles.
St Clair lost the titles in his first defence last November in South Africa to Baloyi’s countryman Malcolm Klaasen.
