LOS ANGELES, SEPT 29: Laila Ali knows her legendary father's name will focus the spotlight on her, but she also knows that no one will take her seriously as a boxer until she proves herself in the ring.The 21-year-old plans to do just that on Friday, when she fights April Fowler in her first professional bout at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.``I don't think anyone is looking up to me at this point, because I haven't done anything yet,'' Ali said at a press conference to promote the heavyweight bout at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Beverly Hills yesterday.But the youngest child of Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight World champion, is certain she can change that.From the time she fulfilled her childhood dream of opening her own nail salon at the age of 18, until she decided to forego graduate school to turn her fitness regime into her career, Laila Ali says she has excelled at anything she chose to pursue.``Everything I do, I do it, and I'm the best at it,'' she said. ``I do it until I get tired of it, and then I move on.''Her father, long on record as an opponent of women's boxing, isn't thrilled with her decision, but, she said, has been supportive.``We haven't decided if he's going to be there,'' she said. ``My father being there would take a lot of attention away from the fight. Also, it's not easy for him to see me get into the ring.''The five-foot-10-inch, 168-pound Ali, whose model's looks are well-suited to her appearances in magazines ranging from Vogue to Fitness, says she believes she has prepared herself to take whatever punishment her opponent dishes out.``That comes with the sport. I'm going to get hit. I'm going to get my face swollen,'' said Ali, whose six-day per week training programme includes running, work on the heavy bag and speed bag and sparring.Ali (jr) was reluctant to draw too close a comparison with the man won his first World heavyweight title at the age of 22 and went on to anoint himself ``The Greatest''.``I think my footwork is very good, like my father's. I'm also very strong, very confident. I'm coming to this sport with respect to other female boxers. I'm not planning on just coming in and dominating this sport because there are a lot of other women who have been training long and hard,'' she said.In the ring, she'll face a woman who lost her only previous pro-fight, but who at least has the experience of three amateur fights prior to that.In Ali's corner will be trainer Dub Huntly and assistant trainer Johnny McClain. McClain has twice held the lightly regarded World Boxing Union cruiserweight crown, and he also happens to be Ali's boyfriend.``He's been fighting for 20 years and he's used to it,'' Ali said of McClain. ``He knows what it's like. I'm glad I have him there to push me.''McClain admits to mixed emotions.``I hate it,'' he said of seeing Ali take a punch. ``It's real hard to watch every day. Dub deals with it better. I'm in the corner, I'm like, `oh, no!'''Laila, the daughter of Muhammad Ali and his second wife, Veronica, says she has no real recollection of seeing her father fight. But she believes she has some of his skills, even if they are not yet fully developed.If she can prove that, she could provide an immeasurable boost to the fledgling sport of women's pro boxing.Christy Martin, the most recogniseable woman prizefighter, says she had no problem with Ali trading on her father's name.
