Boxing

Claressa Shields Says Laila Ali 'Let Women's Boxing Die' Amid $15 Million Fight Offer

Claressa Shields went scorched earth on Laila Ali after getting ghosted over a $15 million fight offer.
Grant Young|
LAILA ALI, hall of fame boxer, speaking on a panel on August 25, 2023.
LAILA ALI, hall of fame boxer, speaking on a panel on August 25, 2023. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Women's boxing legend Laila Ali asserted that, "unless somebody has $15, $20 million, don't even call me," about a potential fight against female pound-for-pound top boxer Claressa Shields when speaking with interviewers earlier this month.

While Shields has previously been talking about a potential superfight, she hadn't mentioned it for a few years. However, Ali's comment sparked a fresh wave of callouts from Shields, both on social media and in interviews.

One of the most recent callouts that Shields made included her posing with a giant $15 million check that's addressed to Ali by name, which has since gone viral on social media. Shields was also quoted in a video from TMZ saying, "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."

Claressa Shields Claims Laila Ali Let Women's Boxing Die

Shields interviewed with FightHype right after her press conference and faceoff against Lani Daniels (who she's fighting on July 26) was completed. And she made several blunt comments about Ali.

"When I seen [Ali's comments], I'm like, you know what, another golden opportunity to make a fight with Laili Ali," Shields said. "And we were able to produce [the $15 million], and we still have not heard anything back from her... Hopefully, Laila and her team get back to us."

Claressa Shields, 29, left, trains with her head boxing trainer, John David Jackson on January 7, 2025
Claressa Shields, 29, left, trains with her head boxing trainer, John David Jackson, 61, a two-time former world champion, during an open media workout at Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That wasn't all Shields had to say about Ali, as she added, "[Ali] said out of her own mouth that she's in shape, she can come back, she told me that I'm too small for her, I'm not skilled enough for her, she punch too hard, and if she comes to get me, I won't be able to keep her off me. So stand on that, come get your $15 million, and come get your a** whooped."

"She wants to make it seem like she's still somewhat relevant in women's boxing. She's a pioneer, but she's not relevant right now... Honestly, people give her props about how she built up women's boxing, and I just don't feel the same way," Shields continued.

"What did you really do for women's boxing? You let it die. You let it die for 20 years, and then I had to come put in all this extra work to get it to where it is now," Shields concluded of Ali.

Perhaps these comments will entice Ali to return.

The Latest Boxing News

Claressa Shields Declares She's 'Neck And Neck' With Floyd Mayweather

Claressa Shields Completes Laila Ali Callout With $15 Million Check

Claressa Shields Tells Laila Ali To 'Eat Your Words' Amid Fight Callout

Laila Ali Reveals The Price She'd Consider To Fight Claressa Shields

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.