Monday, July 23, 2007
SEXY BLACK FEMALE BOXER LAILA ALI GETS HITCHED - IS THE SECOND TIME THE CHARM?
Boxing champ and Dancing with the Stars finalist Laila Ali wed retired NFL star Curtis Conway in L.A. on Sunday, Ali's rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Among the 200 guests were Laila's parents, Muhammad Ali and Veronica Porsche Anderson, along with her sister Hana Ali, who was a bridesmaid. Conway's twin sons, Kelton and Cameron, 12, were the ringbearers while his daughter Leilani, 8, stepped in as the flowergirl.
For her big day the bride, 29, opted for a knockout champagne-colored silk charmeuse strapless mermaid gown by Amy Michelson.
The pair met two years ago when Conway hosted a small get together at his house, which Ali attended with a friend. Conway, 36, then popped the question last Thanksgiving.
"People think she dominates the relationship," Conway told PEOPLE in May, "but she's a sweetie pie."
Not to her boxing opponents. On February 3, 2007 in Johannesburg, Ali retained her WBC and WIBA super middleweight world titles, knocking out Gwendolyn O'Neil at 56 seconds of the first round. Ali headlined the first women's professional boxing match in South Africa. She improved to 24-0 with 21 knockouts
The second youngest child of Muhammad Ali's nine children, Ali married Johnny "Yahya" McClain on August 27, 2000. She met McClain through her sister Hana at her father's 57th birthday party. McClain became Ali's manager and helped guide her career. In late 2005 Ali and McClain divorced and McClain quit managing Ali.
After the divorce, tabloids reported that Ali divorced McClain because she was a lesbian and having an affair with Queen Latifah. Ali denied the rumors, saying she didn't even know Latifah.
In early 2007, the ABC television network announced that Laila would be a participant in the fourth season of the American version of Dancing with the Stars.
Finishing in third place, the move has allowed Laila Ali to reinvent herself again. Now, the world awaits what will be the 5' 10, 175 lb heavyweight's next move.
A little Casius Clay maybe?