In boxing, rivalries are as old as the sport itself. But when it comes to two icons like Claressa Shields and Laila Ali, things get deeply personal. In a recent interview with ATS Boxing, Claressa opened up about the longstanding tension between her and the legendary Laila Ali, shedding light on how their relationship evolved.
Claressa shared that their once-friendly dynamic took a turn when comparisons started to emerge. She recalled a time when everything felt perfectly fine between them. “I won a world championship at 168 Super Weight,” Shields reflected. “She was champ there, and then people started making comparisons. That’s when the texts and the ‘Good luck’ stuff from Laila stopped.”
Initially, their relationship had a supportive vibe. Claressa remembered that Laila even threw a fight party at her own home to cheer her on. “She had a fight party out at her house for me. We were cool like that,” Shields said, reminiscing about their earlier camaraderie.
However, things changed when Claressa began to rise in the middleweight division, proving herself as one of the top female fighters globally.
After her championship win, she recalled a moment that may have strained their relationship further. “They asked me, ‘Claressa, what does this say?’ I said, ‘This proves that I’m the best woman fighter in the world.’ I think that may have rubbed her the wrong way,” she admitted.
The tension was not just about one comment; it was fueled by her friends who attended Laila’s fight party. Claressa said some guests made remarks that didn’t sit well with Ali, like “Ooh, Laila, she’s giving you a run for your money.” Claressa felt that Laila might have taken those comparisons personally.
Despite the underlying tension, Claressa emphasized that she doesn’t harbor any hate towards Laila. She expressed her admiration for the trailblazer of women’s boxing, stating, “Do I still want to fight you? Yes. But do I love you? Yes. And do I think that you did a lot for women’s boxing and for me? Yes.”
Claressa left the door open for reconciliation or even a potential dream match, saying, “So it can be reconciled. If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.”
