Laila Ali brought energy and a fierce message aimed at Claressa Shields. In a recent YouTube video released on October 16, the boxing icon and daughter of Muhammad Ali opened up after years of ongoing tension between her and Shields, criticizing what she called Claressa’s “divisive, vindictive, and malicious” behavior.
The rivalry between these two boxing legends has been brewing for quite some time, and it escalated after Ali expressed what it would take for her to come out of retirement. “Unless somebody has $15, $20 million, don’t even call me,” she stated back in July. Shields seized on this remark, turning it into an opportunity.
The Olympic gold medalist even posed with a gigantic $15 million check made out to Laila Ali, taking it a step further by calling her out in a video: “Let’s make a fight between me and you. The best versus the best. The greats versus the greats. The GWOAT versus Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila Ali. Let’s make it happen.” This ignited a flurry of discussions online.
While fans debated whether this dream match could actually come to fruition, Laila decided to address the situation directly in a YouTube video detailing her history with Shields, and it was filled with spicy revelations.
Laila shared that their relationship didn’t start off negatively. They first crossed paths in 2012 when Claressa was invited on stage with Laila to present the Liberty Medal to her father, Muhammad Ali. They kept in touch afterward, with Laila even supporting Claressa’s career early on by promoting her fights and interviewing her on CBS’s “We Need to Talk,” a show focused on female sports.
However, things soured over time. In her video, Laila showcased clips of Claressa taking jabs at her, including a recent interview where Shields called her “just Muhammad Ali’s daughter.” For Laila, that remark stung. “At the time, I was not aware of her divisive, vindictive, malicious nature,” she said. “She saw me as the face of women’s boxing, and she told me she wanted my spot. And she’s been on a mission to ruin my reputation ever since.”
Laila’s demeanor was calm but resolute, as she laid out her feelings with clarity. She expressed her disappointment at Claressa’s attempts to undermine her legacy and use her name for attention.
Nonetheless, some fans believe both fighters are capitalizing on the drama for marketing purposes. One comment on X noted, “Laila’s too classy for this, but let’s be real… I’d still pay to see that fight.” Another fan remarked, “Claressa’s been calling out Laila for years. This beef is old, but it’s a good promo for both.”
They do have a point. If these two ever faced off in the ring, it would undoubtedly be an epic confrontation. For now, though, their battle remains online, and the tension is palpable.
