Who wins a fight between Claressa Shields versus Laila Ali?
A highly anticipated match between Claressa Shields and Laila Ali could happen eventually in the near future, after many years of speculation.
Laila Ali, the former undisputed super middleweight champion and daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, has been largely viewed as one of the greatest female boxers.
Her undefeated record across twenty-four fights is a testament to her dominance during her reign from 2002 to 2007.
Claressa Shields, who many also view as the ‘GOAT’ of women’s boxing, is undefeated in seventeen fights and holds undisputed status at heavyweight, middleweight and light middleweight divisions.
Shields also won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
With a 17-year age difference and seeing as Lila Ali’s last fight was in 2007, the odds of a comeback may be unrealistic.
An exhibition bout might be a more realistic option now. It could be channelled to raising money for charity or just entertaining the fans.
The start of the rivalry
This rivalry is not a recent one. It began in 2019 when Laila Ali was a guest on The Breakfast Club.
When asked if she’d consider returning to the ring, her comments about a lack of suitable contenders didn’t sit well with Claressa Shields, who at the time was a rising 9-0 world champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist.
In a recent interview, Laila Ali entertained the idea of a comeback against Shields, but not for less than $20 million. As a counter, Clarissa Shields offered a 15 million purse to Ali for the fight.
Perhaps an intriguing offer from Turki Al-Alsheikh and the Saudis could make this fight a reality. Until then, we can only guess.
If Ali accepts, this could be the most lucrative fight for women’s boxing history and maybe the final stamp on both their legacies. If not, fans will continue to debate who truly deserves the crown of greatest female boxer of all time.
Kwame Masters/Boxing Ghana