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(JULY 8) Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker are to female boxing what Muhammad
Ali and Joe Frazier were to men’s prizefighting.
After trading barbs and insults like two spitfires since 1999, Martin
(46-3-2, 31 Kos) and Rijker (17-0, 14 Kos) finally meet on July 30 at the
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to nail down their legacy as the best of the
era and for a jackpot of $1 million. No female fighter has ever cashed a
check for that much.
Back in 1966, when Ali was forbidden from pro boxing because of his refusal
to fight in the Vietnam War, a potential bout with Frazier lay frozen. In
that four years both partook in a war of words that nearly erupted into a
street fight, but they refrained. They knew it would happen, it was too big.
Eventually they fought each other not once, but three times. In many ways
Martin and Rijker share the same story.
Martin burst on the pro boxing scene in 1989 and gained much publicity and
fame participating on the under cards of Mike Tyson fights. The public
quickly warmed up to the West Virginia slugger who always moved forward and
was as devastating a puncher as Iron Mike.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, Rijker was raising interest as one of the
greatest kickboxers in the world. But the meager competition in that sport
convinced her to try boxing. In 1996 she traded kicks for left hooks.
Rijker wanted Martin. She knew it would take a win over the Coal Miner’s
Daughter to convince the public she was the best of the era. In 1999, as
Martin held an open workout for the press, Rijker invaded the session and a
brawl broke out. Hair was pulled, punches thrown, blood was shed, even Don
King the promoter was muffed a bit from the tussle. A subsequent attempt to
put the two in the ring came ever so close, but faded away. Many felt
forever.
“What can I do to get this lady in the ring?” Rijker asked anyone who would
listen.
Martin always said she would fight Rijker, but insisted that she wouldn’t
accept a match that wasn’t favorable.
Rijker never believed it.
When Martin met California’s Mia St. John in Detroit back in 2002, Rijker
attended the fight and began shouting for the West Virginia native to accept
a match with her.
Then, when Martin fought and lost to the much bigger Laila Ali, Rijker was
furious. She felt the daughter of the great heavyweight had taken away her
opponent. She turned her sights on Ali, but was rebuffed numerous times.
“She’s too small for me,” said Ali. “It’s not going to prove a thing. After
I whip her people are going to say I beat a smaller girl.”
Last year changed everything. Million Dollar Baby, the Academy Award winner
for Best Picture and several other awards, proved a movie about female
boxing could attract an audience to the tune of more than $100 million.
“I got a call from Bob Arum when I was in Puerto Rico,” said Emanuel
Steward, who advises Rijker and trains numerous elite fighters. “He told me
about his idea of putting Lucia Rijker against Laila Ali and the winner
would get $1 million.”
Arum said he met many people who had never attended a boxing match nor seen
one on television until watching Million Dollar Baby. The movie starring
Hilary Swank and Rijker hit an emotional nerve for many, especially women.
“I met numerous women who told me they cried during the movie,” said Arum at
a press conference held in Hollywood. “It was then I realized that female
boxing had arrived.”
Arum came up with the idea of hosting a winner take all $1 million between
Ali and Rijker. Problem was Ali wouldn’t bite.
Arum, who heads Top Rank Promotions, then changed direction and decided to
ask Martin about accepting the offer. Martin liked it, especially that the
winner gets $1 million and the loser $250,000.
“I wanted it as much as she did,” said Martin, who stayed around boxing for
one last big pay day. “Lucia was not alone in trying to make this fight.”
About two years ago Martin called this reporter to deny any reports that she
was afraid of facing Rijker, who many consider the best female fighter in
the world. It was fighting for the right money that held her back she
claimed.
“I’m not going to fight Lucia for $10,000 when it should be for at least
$100,000,” Martin said by telephone two summers ago. Despite all of
the furious words exchanged for more than six years, Martin and Rijker, both
37, will finally settle their score. And it could turn out to be
Ali-Frazier’s equal.
“Lucia you followed me for seven years and now you’ve got me,” Martin said
to Rijker at a press conference in Beverly Hills in May. “What are you going
to do with me?”
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