Joe Frazier's Daughter Jacqui To Be First Woman Inducted Into Pa. Boxing Hall Of Fame
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - For the first time in its 50 year history, the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame will be inducting a woman. The inductee, who will be receiving the honor in City Hall today, calls Philadelphia home and a place where she learned a thing or two from her legendary father.
"She grew up in Joe Frazier's gym," explained Peter Lyde Sr., the husband and former promoter of one of the newest members of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, Jacqui Frazier-Lyde.
"I am honored and privileged to be inducted," Frazier-Lyde told KYW Newsradio.
The daughter of the late former world champion,"Smokin'" Joe Frazier, Jacqui "Sister Smoke" Frazier-Lyde fought between 2000 and 2004. She won multiple championships and finished with a 13-1-1 record with 9 knockouts. That single loss came in 2001 when she and Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, rekindled their fathers' historic feud for the first pay-per-view boxing card headlined by women. Frazier-Lyde ended up losing by a majority decision.
She bounced back, months later by winning the Women's International Boxing Association light heavyweight title at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
"Smokin' Joe and Jacqueline Frazier-Lyde are the first father and daughter world champions in boxing...period!" she said.
"Out of all of her siblings, she is most like (Joe Frazier)," Lyde said. "Once she gets her mind set, her eyes set, it's a done deal."
Frazier-Lyde agreed, saying she learned a lot from her father's life in and out of the ring.
"We have the heart for giving. We can give a good, kind hello. We can do the same thing with taking you apart!" she said. "In the spirit of good sportsmanship. We have the spirit of love for people. His spirit is so strong that I feel that he is ever-present. If I want to see his face, all I have to do is look in the mirror."
She will join her father and her brother Marvis Frazier as members of the hall. Today, she will accept the honor at the City Council Caucus Room in City Hall, not at the actual induction ceremony on May 18, because her current role as municipal court judge prevents her from attending.
She joins five other boxers and four non-boxers in the Class of 2014. They include Brother Naazim Richardson, trainer for Bernard Hopkins, and long-time Philadelphia Daily News writer Stan Hochman.