Laila Ali Teases Return to Ring to Fight Claressa Shields…But Only Under This One Wild Condition

By greatbritton

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As boxing fans continue to come down off the high they got from the All-Women’s boxing card that took place at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, one of the sport’s greatest athletes–Laila Ali–might be making a return. Or at least, that’s the message we took from her during a brief intermission during the fights.

If you missed it, Netflix aired a series of fights and had Ali as well as Kate Scott and Andre Ward serving as host for the evening. Towards the end, while conversing with fellow fighter Jake Paul, they danced around Ali potentially coming back to get in the ring one last time. Though she initially laughed the topic off, she said that in order to do so, someone would have to offer her the big bucks (we’re talking millions) for it to happen.

After the fights were done for the evening, Ali was cornered again and asked for more of a response and if she’d specifically fight the current, undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields.

“The rumor that I heard is that unless somebody has $15 to $20 million, don’t even call me about this, that’s all I know,” Ali said in a video posted by Art of the Dialogue over the weekend. “Unless somebody calls me and says they have it, we’re not even gonna have a conversation. I’m not trying to come back and fight, but if somebody was offering that kind of money– I would actually have to think about it.”

After getting wind of Ali’s comments, Shields herself took to X/Twitter to express that she’d be open to fighting her, but that she’d better be ready to lose.

What a great weekend of boxing! Really motivated! Now@TheRealLailaAli I’m the GREATEST NOW! Be careful what you ask for!” she wrote. “You know I’ve been wanting to make you eat your words! You not a better boxer than me & at 175 I’ll put you on your back! BEEN READY FOR YOU.”

Shields continued her petition to get in the ring with Ali, referencing the highly-watched fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul that took place in November 2024.

“If @MikeTyson 58 can fight against @jakepaul 27, I don’t know why y’all scared for @TheRealLailaAli 47 Vs Me @Claressashields 30 ! She think she bad right…. I been telling her if she want to prove she so much better skilled than me and got so much power… come do it. Don’t start copping pleas now!” Shields wrote.

Ali has yet to respond to Shields’ latest comments but if you see an announcement pop up, then you already know what’s about to go down. Will you be tuned in?

Straight From The Root

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