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Jerry Kellar
Monday, February 07, 2000 Page: 1B
If Jacqui Frazier-Lyde really wants to uphold the honor of her esteemed
boxing family, she should toss aside the gloves, head gear and mouthpiece and
return to her job as a lawyer.
Today!
Because all the very likable 38-year-old daughter of Smokin’ Joe Frazier
accomplished Sunday night was to reinforce the opinion that women, especially
intelligent women such as Jacqui, have no place in the ring.
Oh, she won her first professional fight – if that’s what you choose to
call it – Sunday night at Scranton’s Cultural Center.
Flanked by her famous father, almost equally well-known brother, Marvis,
and an entourage of about two dozen, the 176-pound Frazier-Lyde stalked
someone named Teela Reese all over the ring before scoring a technical
knockout at 1:23 of the first round.
The Thrilla in Manilla, it wasn’t.
“I threw a lot of jabs she couldn’t see,” an animated Frazier-Lyde told
reporters afterward. “She really didn’t know how to defend.”
Truth be told, Reese, now officially 0-2 as a pro (ahem) fighter, had about
as much business being in the ring as Dr. Ruth. And she wasn’t nearly as
provocative a quote.
“I’m pooped,” the fallen lady warrior said.
Reese couldn’t have been nearly as drained as an audience that was forced
to sit through 10 fights and four hours of boxing before the main event.
Make no mistake, even with Scranton favorite son Chris Mills fighting for a
pair of crowns in the light-heavyweight division (he was TKO’d in the fifth in
a stunner), most of the estimated crowd of 3,000-plus – including former
heavyweight champ Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Khaliah, and a slew of
national boxing writers – was there to see Joe Frazier’s kid.
“Not as great as I wanted it to be,” was Holmes’ grossly understated
critique of the Frazier-Lyde bout.
Jacqui, who made $25,000 in her debut, would do well to listen to Holmes,
who is steadfastly opposed to ladies wearing boxing gloves.
“I don’t like it,” the man known as the “Easton Assassin” said. “Too
dangerous.”
Unfortunately, this get-even with history game Jacqui Frazier-Lyde is
involved in has nothing to do with Holmes, and everything to do with Ali.
It all started last year when Jacqui was asked to comment on Muhammad Ali’s
21-year-old daughter Laila, who had just won her first professional fight by a
31-second KO.
Jacqui responded that she would kick Laila’s butt, or something along those
lines, if given the chance.
And here we are.
So with the cameras rolling and Ali’s other daughter standing close by,
Frazier-Lyde put on a made-for-TV stone-cold face and re-issued a challenge
Sunday night.
“Laila Ali, you wanted to know if I was a professional fighter, now you
see,” she said. “I’ll kick your butt Laila Ali. I’m challenging you. Don’t
make me come and get you.”
As show biz goes, even Laila’s dad would have loved it.
The plan, at least in the eyes of some, is for Jacqui and Laila to meet in
September on the 25th anniversary of their fathers’ momentous battle in the
Philippines. Jacqui wants to finish the job her dad couldn’t that night.
Here’s hoping it never comes off.
All Jacqui Frazier-Lyde and Laila Ali can accomplish by flailing punches at
one another is to make a mockery of the legend created by the real Ali and
Frazier.
Deep down, I know neither of them want that.
Heck, the single most important thing on the minds of Jacqui’s loved ones
after Sunday’s fiasco was her well-being, not chasing the ghosts of boxing
past.
“I thank God it’s over with,” husband Peter said.
Added Marvis, 39, who went 18-2 as a pro, losing only to Mike Tyson and
Holmes: “It’s my sister, man. I’m always nervous.”
Interestingly enough, Joe Frazier was nowhere to be found amid the
partylike atmosphere of the reception/interview room following the big event.
As great as he was as a fighter, even Smokin’ Joe took his share of shots
to the head.
What dad would want his little girl to experience that?
Kellar can be reached at 829-7243 or jkellar@leader.net