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Shields responds to boxing legend

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Dec 30, 2024 11:52 PM ET

The WBC and WBO women’s heavyweight champion Claressa Shields is in the news again. She’s speaking on her ongoing feud with former boxing legend Laila Ali. In a recent interview, Shields spoke in depth about the ongoing tension between the two boxing greats. The animosity between Shields and Ali can be traced back to comments made by both fighters over the years.

Ali was asked by Max Kellerman if she’d be interested in fighting Shields. “Of course, especially (because of) that mouth,” Ali said of Shields. “When it’s personal that starts a fire, right? And when the money’s right and it makes sense then why not?”

Despite all of the back and forth, there’s most likely no fight in the future. But an exhibition fight between these two would easily be the biggest fight in women’s boxing history, even though it wouldn’t officially count in the record books. Shields was a guest on ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT Podcast and she touched on her issues with Ali.

.@Claressashields gave her take on what happened between her and Laila Ali.

Watch more: https://t.co/8Wz0YhoEba pic.twitter.com/obhBHJ775e

— All the Smoke Fight (@ats_fight) December 20, 2024

“I don’t dislike Laila. I think with something she said was disrespectful may have tugged me a little bit of how I had looked up to her at a time. But that’s not something that can’t be fixed,” she added. Shields hinted that while she would welcome a respectful dialogue with Ali, she is more focused on her future fights and expanding her legacy. As much as Claressa Shields respects Laila Ali as a pioneer in women’s boxing, she also aims to carve out her own legacy and be recognized for her contributions to the sport.

Time to move on

Both fighters are the greatest in their generation and they’ll defend their greatness until they can’t. But it’s time for these ladies to move on and just play nice.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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