Shooting-victim set to box for world title

Germany's former boxing world champion Rola El-Halabi is set to fulfil her dream in January to box again, nearly two years after she was gunned down by her step-father in a vicious attack. The 27-year-old El-Halabi, who won the women's IBA and IBF lightweight titles in 2009, will climb into the ring on January 13 when she takes on Italy's Lucia Morelli in Ulm for the vacant IBA lightweight title.

But El-Halabi's life was turned upside down on April 1 2011 when her stepfather and former manager Hicham El-Halabi shot her in her right hand, left knee and both feet in her dressing room before she was due to box in Berlin.

The attack came after she terminated his management contract in January 2011 and he also shot two security guards before being arrested at the stadium. In November last year, he was jailed for six years by a court in Berlin. Her injuries left her in a wheelchair for three months, but El-Halabi says her dream is to become a world champion again, but she is happy just to climb into the ring once more.

AFP