As soon as the two women decided to follow in the footsteps of their famous fathers - Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, who met in three epic bouts in the 1970s - it was inevitable that some day they would meet in the ring. Even though Laila was intent on avoiding the day - her corner has always claimed that Frazier is in it just for the money, not the sport - the months of taunting by Jacqui finally proved too much.
The fight still does not have a venue, but both sides were hoping to be able to stage it at the casino.
In other boxing news:
* Oscar De La Hoya proclaimed his eight-month vacation over and formally announced a 12-round welterweight fight with former IBF junior lightweight champion Arturo Gatti for March 24 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
COLLEGES
* Lehigh assistant football coach Pete Lembo was promoted to replace head coach Kevin Higgins. Higgins left to become quarterbacks coach of the Detroit Lions.
* Negotiators for 14 Pennsylvania state-owned universities and athletic coaches met separately with a state mediator, but reported no progress in stalled contract talks. The 350 non-faculty coaches are attempting to reach their first collective-bargaining agreement with the universities that make up the State System of Higher Education.
* Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley, 68, has agreed to a new contract that calls for him to retire at the end of 2003.
* Florida's baseball team set a school record for runs in a 35-1 victory over Savannah State. The Gators scored 18 runs in the second inning.
SPORT STOPS
* The International Olympic Committee rejected proposals by chief Salt Lake City organizer Mitt Romney to change traditional elements of the opening and closing ceremonies and medal presentations, and ruled out plans for using a Los Angeles doping lab for tests from the 2002 Winter Olympics.
* Sergio Garcia shot a 9-under-par 64 to take the early lead in the first round of the Greg Norman Holden International in Sydney, Australia.
* Hannes Trinkl beat Hermann Maier for the downhill gold medal at the skiing world championships in St. Anton, Austria. The women's night slalom went to Anja Paerson, a 19-year-old Swede.
