Boxing fans have been buzzing about a possible showdown between Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields and Laila Ali — but according to Shields, that dream fight isn’t happening for one simple reason: Laila doesn’t want it.
TMZ Sports caught up with Shields in Los Angeles on Thursday, where she pulled no punches (verbally, at least) about why the fight hasn’t been booked.
“Layla and her representatives have told us no. The answer is ‘no,’” Shields said. “She doesn’t want to fight. And that’s fine. I’m not upset. I mean, I wouldn’t fight me either. I understand that she’s scared. I’m moving on.”
This comes after Laila Ali — who retired undefeated at 24-0 — publicly said it would take a huge payday for her to even consider stepping into the ring again. Shields says she met that challenge, securing the $15 million Ali requested, but still got a hard pass.
“I thought she was about all that talk,” Shields continued. “She wanted $15 million. I went and got the $15 million. And now it’s all backpedaling. Congrats to her on whatever she’s doing, but I’m focused on my career.”
Shields also took a swipe at the old-school mentality she says plagued women’s boxing in Ali’s era.
“We’re in a generation now where the women fight each other. We don’t duck each other. Back in [Laila’s] generation, that’s all she did. So it is what it is.”
And just to twist the knife a little more, Shields brought up Laila’s father, the late, great Muhammad Ali.
“Muhammad Ali would never. Her daddy would never. If you called out Muhammad Ali, he was coming to check you, and he was coming to lay hands on you. Maybe she doesn’t have that in her genes.”
Source: TMZ
