Laila Ali Speaks on Claressa Shields Struggle Provide: “I’ll Reply After I’m Prepared”

The world of ladies’s boxing is buzzing with the potential for a generational conflict between two iconic champions: Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, and Claressa Shields, the self-proclaimed GWOAT (Biggest Girl of All Time).

Not too long ago, Shields made headlines by providing Ali $15 million to step into the ring together with her. Whereas followers waited for a definitive response, Laila lastly addressed the problem—although not in the way in which many anticipated. Regardless of Claressa’s present run as the highest feminine boxer, Laila is insisting she isn’t scared.

Laila Ali’s Rise to the Ring

Laila Ali didn’t all the time plan to comply with in her father’s footsteps. However after watching a ladies’s boxing match on tv at 18, she grew to become impressed to step into the game herself. Regardless of her father Muhammad Ali’s preliminary considerations, Laila introduced her skilled boxing debut in a televised interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America, setting the stage for what would change into a historic profession.

She made her skilled debut on October 8, 1999, at age 21, with a first-round knockout towards April Fowler. The win launched a streak of victories that earned her nationwide consideration and arrange a extremely anticipated match towards Jacqui Frazier-Lyde—the daughter of Joe Frazier. Their 2001 conflict, dubbed “Ali-Frazier IV,” honored the legacy of their fathers’ well-known rivalry. Laila received the match by majority resolution in a brutal eight-round battle, regardless of struggling a fractured collarbone.

Ali continued to construct her legacy by claiming the IBA title in 2002 and later unifying it with the WIBA and IWBF tremendous middleweight titles after defeating Valerie Mahfood. That very same 12 months, she started making headlines for her highly effective knockouts and unmatched ring presence.

Undefeated Legacy and Cultural Impression

Ali’s most symbolic victory got here in 2003 when she defeated Christy Martin—the very boxer who had first impressed her—in simply 4 rounds. That win solidified her dominance and helped elevate the visibility of ladies’s boxing worldwide.

She went on to win the IWBF Mild Heavyweight title in 2004 and made historical past in 2005 by capturing the celebrated WBC title after stopping Erin Toughill. Ali’s aggressive model, strategic precision, and showmanship made her a pressure within the ring and a beacon of empowerment exterior of it.

Laila retired undefeated in 2007 with a 24-0 report, together with 21 knockouts. Her closing bout befell in South Africa, the place she secured a first-round TKO over Gwendolyn O’Neil.

Notable achievements from her profession embrace:

• WBC, WIBA, IBA, and IWBF titles throughout a number of weight lessons
• Solely the second girl to win a WBC championship
• Acknowledged with the 2012 AOCA Excellent Contribution Award

Past boxing, Ali grew to become a TV character, writer, and wellness advocate. Her undefeated report and cultural affect helped pave the way in which for future stars like Claressa Shields, making her one of the crucial revered names in ladies’s sports activities historical past.

Claressa Shields: A Champion in Each Division

Claressa Shields is not only a boxing star—she is a once-in-a-generation athlete who has redefined the panorama of ladies’s fight sports activities. Born March 17, 1995, in Flint, Michigan, Shields started boxing on the age of 11 and shortly proved herself to be a phenom. Her story is considered one of persistence, energy, and making historical past at each step.

Earlier than ever turning skilled, Shields had already carved her title within the historical past books. She grew to become the first American boxer—male or feminine—to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, doing so in 2012 and 2016 within the ladies’s middleweight division. She was simply 17 years previous when she certified for the 2012 London Video games, turning into the youngest boxer on the U.S. Olympic Trials that 12 months.

Dominating the Professionals: Undisputed in Three Weight Lessons

Since turning professional in 2016, Claressa Shields has compiled one of the crucial spectacular résumés within the historical past of boxing. As of 2025, she’s the one boxer—male or feminine—to change into undisputed champion in three totally different weight lessons, holding the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles in:

• Mild Middleweight (2021)
• Middleweight (first in 2019, once more in 2024)
• Heavyweight (2025)

She additionally held the WBC and IBF Tremendous Middleweight titles between 2017 and 2018 and received the WBO Mild Heavyweight title, making her considered one of solely three ladies (alongside Amanda Serrano and Naoko Fujioka) to change into a five-division world champion.

As of now, Shields has held 18 main world championships throughout 5 divisions and presently holds the report for turning into a two-, three-, four-, and five-division world champion within the fewest variety of skilled fights. Her dominance has made her the #1 pound-for-pound feminine boxer.

The Callout: Claressa Shields Ups the Ante with $15 Million Examine

This all began when Laila Ali commented in a previous interview that she may think about combating once more if “the quantity is correct.” That was all Shields wanted to listen to. In true GWOAT style, she took to social media to name Laila’s bluff, standing proudly with a big novelty verify made out for $15 million—an announcement that she’s not simply speaking, she’s able to pay to play.

The message was clear: if Laila Ali really desires to check her expertise, Shields is prepared and keen to make historical past—and fund it too.

Laila’s Hesitation: “I’ll Deal with It After I’m Prepared”

Now, after days of anticipation, Laila Ali has lastly responded. In a video posted on-line, Ali mentions the problem however shortly dodges a concrete reply. “I’ll deal with the proposal once I’m prepared,” she says with a smirk—neither accepting nor declining the provide.

Her obscure response sparked fast chatter on social media. On X (previously Twitter), customers had loads to say:

• @finalbossjimmy wrote, “She fantastic and all however my cash on Claressa.”
• @houheffna tweeted bluntly, “This girl isn’t combating.”
• @wrestlegirl215 added, “So in different phrases you scared.. received it lol.”

Whereas some followers have been thrilled by the mere chance of Ali’s return, others have been fast to query her seriousness—and even counsel she’s ducking Shields.

A Report-Breaking Purse for Girls’s Boxing

The $15 million provide is staggering—and almost remarkable in ladies’s boxing. For perspective:

• Most ladies’s world title fights pay beneath $1 million.
• Shields reportedly made round $1 million for her 2022 showdown with Savannah Marshall, which was billed as one of many largest fights in ladies’s boxing historical past.
• In contrast, males’s title fights like Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao topped over $300 million in payouts.

Shields’ $15 million proposal isn’t simply a suggestion to Ali—it’s an announcement to the trade. She’s advocating for huge funding in feminine fighters and betting on the spectacle and legacy of this potential bout to make that funding worthwhile.

The Public’s Divide: Does Laila Nonetheless Have It?

Laila Ali retired almost 18 years in the past, and she or he’s 46 years previous. Shields is 30 and nonetheless lively. That age hole—and ring rust—has followers divided.

Supporters of Ali imagine her expertise, energy, and legendary lineage give her an actual shot. Detractors argue that the trendy tempo, strain, and polished ability set of Shields can be an excessive amount of for her.

Some followers even query if Ali is really inquisitive about combating in any respect, pointing to her media profession and way of life model as proof she’s moved on.

What This Struggle Would Imply for Girls’s Sports activities

If Ali accepts, this might be the largest feminine boxing match in historical past—not only for the payday, however for its cultural and media impression.

It could:

• Break monetary data for a ladies’s boxing purse.
• Deliver boxing again to the mainstream with a crossover viewers.
• Open the door for extra high-stakes legacy matchups in ladies’s sports activities.
• Spotlight the necessity for equal pay and assist for feminine athletes.
• Probably encourage a brand new era of ladies to lace up gloves.

Whether or not it’s on Showtime, DAZN, or a Pay-Per-View spectacle, promoters can be racing to seize rights to an Ali vs. Shields showdown.

Will the Struggle Occur?

Proper now, the ball is in Laila Ali’s court docket. Claressa Shields has made it loud and clear: she desires the struggle, she has the cash, and she’s able to put her legacy on the road.

Ali’s current response—“I’ll deal with it once I’m prepared”—suggests she’s not fully out. However on the earth of boxing, time is the opponent nobody can beat.

Whether or not this ends as an Instagram feud or turns into the bout that modifications the sport, followers shall be watching. And ready.