(NOV 2001) Fredia Gibbs is hoping that Friday night's showdown with Sumya Anani -- perhaps the most highly anticipated matchup of the five world championship fights on the all-women's Austin, Texas, card -- holds to one of Hollywood's most tried and true traditions: the happy ending.

And who better in the sport to know all about that than Gibbs, the Michigan native who was featured in the 2000 movie release "Knockout." While the bright lights and big screen were nice -- Gibbs now lives in Hollywood and has several more boxing scripts to read through when she gets back home -- the career change lead to a knockout of a different sort.

It, for the most part, KO'd her promising boxing career. Well, not so much knocked out, really, as slowed it down -- considerably. Her only pro loss came in the summer of 1999, in a championship fight against Leah Mellinger, and she has only fought twice since. One was later that year in a six round unanimous decision against Michelle Vidales, but not again until June of 2001, a "get-back-in-the-ring" four round affair against Susan Howard.

And she has a good answer when asked which she like most: the movie world or the real world of boxing. "I enjoy them both," she chuckled. "But the movie world is much more lucrative."

Of course, a win Friday against Anani, the only fighter to have ever beaten the sport's most recognized name in Christy Martin, would almost assuredly lead to better paydays.

"I truly believe that pound-for-pound in this division, I believe I'm the best," Gibbs said. "I've been kept in the shadows. This will give me the opportunity to not only say that I'm the best, but display that I am. It's a wonderful card, probably one of the best ever put together. I just believe the best should fight the best to make the sport he best."

In addition to her movie, family illness also cut into Fredia's ring time, and helped douse her enthusiasm for the sport. But in June, that changed. Someone needed to re-light the fire; Howard brought the matches.

Although it was only four rounds, and it wasn't against one of the sport's big names, that fight at Hollywood Park Casino was as important as any in The Cheetah's career. The time for juggling, at least for now, was over.

"It gave me the opportunity to realize this is what I really want to do," Gibbs said.

With the WIBA's 140-pound championship belt on the line, Gibbs doesn’t plan to blow her second title opportunity.

"Sumya is a good fighter, she's a warrior, she's tenacious, a very hard worker. My style is to hit and don't get hit," Gibbs said. "I won't go toe to toe -- that's not my style. She comes forward. She's a flat-footed fighter. But I feel she hasn't come up against a person like The Cheetah. I'm a technical genius. The world is going to see a brilliant performance from The Cheetah. When I fought Leah Mellinger, I felt they took it from me, but they will not take it from me this time."

It's funny how Hollywood -- where boxing has been a thread for some of the industries most memorable movies -- can reflect the sport for real. "Hard work. long hours. dedication, discipline," said Gibbs, when comparing the box office to the boxing ring. And a hope that there's at least one more happy ending waiting to be written.