The possibility of Claressa Shields fighting Laila Ali has been floating around for some time, and Shields is publicly pressuring the retired boxer, saying that her late legendary father, Muhammad Ali, would never duck the smoke like she is.
Claressa Shields has long been considered one of the greatest boxers of her generation, holding undisputed championships in two weight classes and winning two Olympic gold medals. Her undefeated record makes a face-off with Laila Ali, a retired legend with her own perfect 24-0 record, the ultimate fantasy for fans.
And according to TMZ Sports, Laila Ali said that if Claressa wanted her to come out of retirement, she would have to come up with a “boatload of money” to the tune of $15 million, which Shields has since said she has done. But still, there is no fight, and Shields has a theory as to why.
Claresssa Shields Fighting Laila Ali: ‘She’s Scared To Fight Me‘
While arriving at lunch with controversial boyfriend, Papoose, the boxer ran into TMZ Sports, and Shields didn’t pull any punches, stating, “Laila is scared to fight me, and I would be scared to fight me, too. I get it.”
Shields believes that Ali’s reluctance stems from a different era of women’s boxing, one that she feels was defined by less competitive matchups.
“We’re in a generation now where the women fight each other. We don’t duck each other. And back in [Laila’s] generation, that’s all she did. So it is what it is,” she explained.
The lack of action has clearly taken its toll on Shields, who admitted to TMZ that she has lost all respect for the retired Ali. When asked, Shields went on to make a very powerful comparison, bringing up Ali’s late, great father, Muhammad Ali.
“Absolutely, listen, Muhammad Ali would never. Her daddy would never,” Shields stated. “If you called out Muhammad Ali, he was coming to check you, and he was coming to lay hands on you. Maybe she don’t have that in her genes.”
According to Shields, the sport is now defined by its most prominent fighters challenging one another, with recent matchups like the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano trilogy serving as prime examples. These fighters are not shying away from competition, a sentiment that Shields feels was not as prominent during Ali’s career.
Laila Aili Said She’ll Respond To Claressa Shields’ $15M Offer ‘When She’s Ready’
Prior to Claressa’s TMZ interview, Laila Ali told fans that she’d respond to the fellow boxer’s offer in her own time.
“To all of you poking around wanting me to give you an answer, the answer is yes, I’m going to answer your question when I’m good and ready,” said Ali in an IG Live as captured by The Art Of Dialogue. “Nobody calls the shots on me. I do things when, how and where I like to do them.”
As the boxing world continues to debate whether the dream match will ever happen, Shields’ latest comments make it clear that she is willing and ready, even if she’s gotten a “no” from Laila Ali and her team.
