By WALTER ALIBEY Wednesday, February 14 2007

THE BIG clash between local boxing sensation Giselle Salandy and world champion Laila Ali is on the horizons.

At a press launch at the Mas Camp Pub yesterday, boxing promoter and match-maker Boxu Potts said the encounter is carded for the last weekend in September.

And he claimed also that arrangements are being made for Salandy to be involved in a live-in camp in Los Angeles about three months before the fight in an attempt to get acclimatised to conditions.

But before the big fight, Salandy will square off against two opponents before putting her focus on Ali.

First is carded for March 24 at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on a card that is being labeled as the “Magnificent Seven World Titles” and is being funded by Hi-Lo.

On this card Salandy will place her seven world titles on the line, the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), North American Boxing Council (NABC), World Boxing Empire (WBE), International Women’s Boxing Federation (IWBF), International Boxing Association (IBA) and Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA), when she takes on another American Yvonne Reis in a scheduled 12-round feature bout at the popular Sando venue.

Newsday learnt that the WBC and WBA have been considering making all women title fights 12-round bouts.

Salandy, whose only fight outside of Trinidad and Tobago was at the age of 14 years when she won her first world title, will have two disadvantages, first having to go up in weight and then fight in a foreign country.

According to Potts, a lot of female fighters have been running away from fighting Salandy and therefore he has targeted boxers who will have no choice but to take the fight.

“All the fighters are interested in meeting Laila Ali and therefore are avoiding any possible meeting with the impressive Salandy.”

Reis who has a record of 16 fights with nine victories and six defeats was recently beaten in her last fight by Latisha Robinson.

He added also that since it is difficult to get bouts for Salandy, he created a back-up fight, which includes Tricia Turton and Dakota Stone.

The card will also have another world title fight this time men, between local boy Kevin Placide and Venezuelan Perry Valor.

Potts said he felt Placide has made tremendous improvement and therefore the time had come for him to get a shot at a world title.

He noted also, that if Valor’s management decides to take another fight, he will make arrangements for another fighter to face Placide.

The powerful Placide will battle for the NABC, WBE and UBO titles with a promise that, if he wins, he will be given an opportunity to fight for the premier titles.

Placide said he will silence a lot of his critics on the night of March 24 and therefore urged the public to come out.