It was the year of 2001. I was sad and depressed because my mother passed away that year in May. During that summer year, I was on my way to Georgia with my father and brother. It was only my second time visiting another state away from NC.
I was going to visit my uncle whom I had not seen in years. I did not know that I was going to see Muhammad Ali's daughter on TV. I did not even know that he had a daughter that could box. I had never heard of Laila, and I had never seen boxing on television.
After we arrived the next day in Georgia, we were all sitting around the television. I heard my Uncle Danny say, “There goes Muhammad Ali's daughter getting ready to box Joe Frazier's daughter (Jacqui Frazier).”
My father laughed and said, “Laila is bad like her daddy and pretty too.”
I thought, “Man, that Ali girl looks tough. If she is as tough as she looks, she's going to kill somebody in the ring. The girl has fire in her eyes.” Laila didn't look happy at all walking through the crowd. She looked as if she was going to rip somebody apart.
Laila Ali soon got into the ring. During the singing of the National Anthem, Jacqui Frazier was saying, hallelujah. But Laila looked focused on fighting. Nothing could take her mind away from what she was going to do in the ring. I could see it written all over her face.
Soon Laila and Jacqui were boxing. I said out loud, “Dang! They fight like their fathers! How can they stand the punches! I couldn't take all of that pain!”
When the bell rung in the first round, Laila and Jacqui walked away like it was nothing. To me, those two women were just as tough as men.
Laila brought back old memories. She posed as if she was going to box with one fist up like her father. That's when I began to remember when I use to watch Muhammad Ali with my mother and father. That was a time when I felt real close to my parents. Watching him brought more togetherness to our family.
After Muhammad Ali retired from the ring, I didn't care that much for boxing. I slowly began to stop watching boxing. After Sugar Ray Leonard stepped down out of the ring, I never watched boxing again. Then Laila brought it back to me through women's boxing. She also brought more togetherness back into my family. There I was again, watching boxing with my father who had been away from me a long time. My father had remarried and divorced from my mother.
My brother, Brian, was back with me again. He had been away from me in college. I began to remember the disagreement we had when we were small. He argued with me that women's boxing would never be allowed. I was tickled looking at him watch Laila. I don't know if he remembers the argument.
My Uncle Danny was with me. I was thrilled that he liked women's boxing too.
Now that Laila is boxing, it seems like it has brought her and her father (Muhammad Ali) closer together. Her parents are divorced. But they all seem to be friends. At the same time, I believe it has brought me closer to my family. Watching Laila took some of the sadness away that I had.
When my mother died, a part of me died. But thanks to God, I am able to live on. It seems like my mother is still apart of what is going on in my life. Her death brought the family together too, but I was left with sadness. As I watched Laila with excitement, I could hear my mother spiritually in my mind saying, “See Gail, I'm not dead.”
Laila won the fight against Jacqui Frazier. I felt like I had won with her. In the end, I was able to smile through my depression with Laila and Jacqui. I saw Laila and Jacqui hugging each other. Love makes everybody a winner. Watching Laila Ali in women's boxing brought more togetherness back to my family.
