Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor, and Claressa Shields are undeniably the leading forces in women’s boxing today. Shields, in particular, has racked up accolades many once thought impossible: a two-time Olympic gold medalist, an undefeated professional, and a three-weight undisputed champion. However, decades ago, that title of trailblazer belonged to someone else entirely—Laila Ali. Yet, interestingly, the different eras came close to colliding.
Since 2019, the 47-year-old and Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields have been locked in a public feud marked by sharp disagreements and heated exchanges. At one point, there were serious talks of Ali—who retired undefeated in 2007—making a sensational comeback to face Shields in the ring. However, negotiations broke down over purse demands, and the fight never materialized. Recently, Ali reignited the conversation by demanding $20 million to make the bout happen, prompting a sharp and pointed response from the ‘GWOAT.’
“The rumor that I heard is that I said, ‘Unless somebody has $15-$20 million, don’t even call me about this,’” Ali said when pressed about a potential fight against Shields during the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano trilogy event. This prompted the reporter to suggest that His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has that sort of money. Yet, Ali remained adamant, stating, “Unless somebody calls me and says they have it, we’re not even gonna have a conversation.”
Ali explained that she doesn’t intend or think about making a comeback, but if someone offers her “that kind of money, I would actually have to think about it.” Ali’s last fight was back in February 2007 against Gwendolyn O’Neil, which she won via 1st round knockout. If the fight ends up happening, there would be a 17-year age gap between the two boxers. Regardless, this interview quickly attracted a lot of chatter among fans.
One user explained Shields would easily beat Ali if they fought now, but if it were a prime vs. prime situation, Ali would win the fight. Claressa Shields quickly responded to this comment on Instagram, warning Ali, “Laila can’t beat me in no era!” Interestingly, given the trend of retired boxers coming back to the ring, there’s a chance the fight can happen. Regardless, as far as Claressa Shields is concerned, her views of a fight against Ali are grandiose.
Claressa Shields claims the Laila Ali fight would be the biggest in women’s boxing
The two-time Olympic gold medalist continues to believe that a fight against the daughter of the late legendary Muhammad Ali is the biggest fight in women’s boxing. While appearing on the Art of Ward podcast last December, Shields boldly claimed, “Me fighting her right now is still the biggest fight in women’s boxing.”
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Notably, the second fight between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor had wrapped up at the time, producing record viewership on Netflix. However, Shields felt her bout against Ali would blow even that fight away. “You got all the Amanda Serranos and Katie Taylors, but Claressa Shields vs. Laila Ali—even in an exhibition—is still the biggest fight in the world for women’s boxing,” Shields said.
It appears both Laila Ali and Claressa Shields are open to a fight, but whether anyone offers the sort of purse they want is yet to be seen. If Ali wants $15-$20 million, Shields may want an even bigger share, which will make things difficult. Do you think this fight would happen? Or is it all talk?
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