Diamonds In The Ring

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But in spite of the momentum, female pugilists have yet to win the hearts of some boxing "purists" like Sugar. hbo will not air women's boxing, partly because of its paucity of A-list fighters. "It's natural for a young sport," says cnn/si boxing analyst Steve Farhood. "But the thin talent pool prohibits consistent, well-matched bouts." More to the point, says Vitiello, "promoters still see women as a sideshow. There is talent out there. But to get air time, you have to be a Playboy bunny or have a famous name."

Indeed, promoter Bob Arum, who manages welterweight champ Oscar De La Hoya, dropped Lucia Rijker, considered to be among the sport's best fighters, and now sets bouts for an NFL cheerleader, a topless dancer and boxing's infamous Playboy cover girl Mia St. John. Known more for her pink hot pants than her ring skills, St. John takes home about the same per fight as Ali and Frazier-Lyde: $25,000.

Other promoters, however, are finding a real audience for real fights. Event Sports' Rick Kulis, who has produced 14 sold-out all-female cards for TV, says, "Weight for weight, women boxers are often as good as their male counterparts. I haven't had a single event where the women haven't received a standing ovation." Cedric Kushner, who admits to a personal aversion to the sport, features distinctly un-Playboy-ish female boxers on his cards because "the fans respond."

Can Daughter of Thrilla in Manila be far behind? While a Frazier-Ali bout could be a ratings bonanza, enthusiasts fear it might mar the sport's credibility if it were anything less than a serious meeting of equals. The much younger Ali calls the daughters-of-legends trend "annoying," especially in light of the 17-year age gap. "It would be easy for me to say yes, beat [Frazier-Lyde] and pocket the cash," Ali says. "But fighting is serious for me." Nonetheless, it's too early to count out such a bout. As Frazier-Lyde might say: Where there's Smoke, there's fire.