It was "like father, like daughter" when Laila Ali showed the dominance in the ring that her legendary father Muhammad Ali made his own in the 1960s.

　"Like father, like daughter"

　The 21-year-old made her professional boxing debut in style, knocking out her much shorter opponent April Fowler in 31 seconds - just as she had promised at the weigh-in.

　It was no competition. Laila Ali speared her with several jabs and then knocked her out with a left-right to the jaw.

　When Fowler hit the floor, Ali stood over her with her fist cocked, another echo of her father's style.

　"I feel good and I'm ready for more," she said afterwards. "I'm kind of disappointed it ended so quick."

　After the fight at the Turning Stone Casino in Vernon, New York State, Ali said her father told her he was proud of her, adding: "From the look in his eyes, I knew he was proud of me. He was surprised."

　The old heavyweight had shown no emotion when the fight ended. But at least he was there.

　His daughter had been uncertain earlier if he would make it. The big man, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has misgivings about Laila's decision to take up boxing.

　The crowd gave him a big welcome. As the ring announcer acknowledged "a man who needs no introduction," the 2,800 fans rose to their feet cheering.

　Ali herself seems to have been in two minds about whether it was a good idea that he came.

　"Even though he's my dad and he's around me and my boxing career, it makes me nervous because he is the greatest and I feel like I can't do things wrong."

　Correspondents say the match will have given womens' boxing a much-needed boost in the United States, though considered the bout was so easy for Ali that her first real test is still to come.

　Manicurist's background

　Ali, who operates a nail salon in Los Angeles in her spare time, is unconcerned that neither of her parents is thrilled with her career change.

　"Like father, like daughter"

　"I'm totally fine with the fact that he doesn't really want me to box," she said of her father.

　"He'd rather me just go to school like I was going to. He doesn't want me to get hurt, but he never once told me not to box. "

　Laila, the second youngest of Ali's nine children, weighed in at 76kg (168lbs), while her opponent registered 74kg (164lbs).

　Nearly 6 feet (1.8m) tall, she is likely to have difficulties finding opponents because of her size.