GULFPORT, Miss. -- The first time Laila Ali and Christy Martin got together for a news conference, punches were thrown and podiums were knocked over.

There was no such excitement at Wednesday's pre-fight gathering. Martin didn't hang around long enough for the fighters to even exchange words.

"Now, I'll just have to talk for both us," Ali said after Martin made a brief statement, didn't even acknowledge Ali and walked off the stage.

The two biggest names in women's boxing meet Saturday at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum with Ali's IBA super middleweight title on the line.

At the news conference to announce the fight two months ago, Martin and Ali went nose-to-nose before scuffling. Both dismiss the suggestion the tussle was staged to help hype the fight.

And both say the disdain they show for each other is genuine.

"The first thing that happened is somebody started running their mouth, and that was Christy. 'Laila Ali ain't nothing. She's just Muhammad Ali's daughter.' Anytime you say that I'm going to take it personally," Ali said.

Martin, naturally, said Ali started it.

"I didn't think I had to have this fight to legitimize what I've done in boxing," Martin told The Associated Press before the news conference. "I think my reputation is already solid. I just thought I would come back because she talks so much. She's so arrogant and so cocky.

"I said I think I'm going to come back, get myself in shape again and show her at 35 years old, giving up 25 pounds, 7 inches, I'm still the best woman pound-for-pound fighter out there."

Before Ali decided to pursue a boxing career, Martin (45-2-2, 31 KOs) was widely considered the best and most popular female fighter in the world. Martin's appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1997 helped nudge women's boxing into the mainstream.

Ali (15-0, 12 KOs), riding her famous father's name, has since taken that mantle.

Ali said in the past she would be asked about fighting Martin, but never gave it much thought because of the size difference.

Martin exaggerated the disparity, but only slightly. Ali is 5-foot-10 and is expected to weigh-in Friday at 162 pounds. Martin is 5-4 and figures to weigh-in at 144.

"I think this a big fight because I've always said that what women's boxing needs is the names. People want to know who's fighting," Ali said. "What makes a fight big is when your opponent is known. She has fans. I have fans. People have seen her fight, they've seen me fight. They know her skills, they know mine. They want to see us fight each other."