In this episode of Sports & Forks, host Kelly Senyei welcomes Laila Ali, the renowned professional boxer and daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali. Laila, who boasts an impressive boxing career with 24 wins, including 21 knockouts, has seamlessly transitioned her competitive spirit into the culinary world.

The episode delves into Laila's experience as a professional boxer and the aspects she misses, such as the competitiveness, goal-setting and mental preparedness that the sport demands. Laila also shares insights into her culinary journey. She talks about her strict diet during her boxing career, her shift towards healthy cooking influenced by her grandmother, and her experience on "Chopped," including the challenge of cooking with a smoked pig head.

Throughout the show, Laila provides parenting perspectives, reflecting on her daughter's disinterest in boxing and her approach to encouraging a healthy lifestyle for her children. Join Kelly and Laila as they discuss the perfect blending of sports and cooking, underscored by Laila's motto, "pay the cost to be the boss," celebrating a journey filled with hard work and perseverance.

Timestamped Overview:

00:00 Intro

05:47 Laila’s routine as a boxer: breakfast, workouts, protein, dinner.

07:23 Solo winning's euphoric, unlike team sports.

12:41 Determined as a boxer despite Muhammad Ali’s initial disapproval, trained secretly.

14:02 Kept plans private to avoid discouragement, committed.

17:47 Encourage trying new foods; sneak in veggies.

22:28 Sensitive, loving father cherished family moments together.

25:19 Creating unique, salt-free seasoning blends for meals.

28:07 Creating adaptable spice blends; testing meticulously.

32:37 Creating recipes; downloadable cookbook; writing recipes.

34:18 Sports & Forks Quick Fire Challenge