The WBC and WBO women’s heavyweight champion Claressa Shields has once again clarified her stance on the much-discussed feud with former boxing legend Laila Ali. In a recent interview, Shields spoke candidly about the ongoing tension between the two boxing greats. Known for her dominance in women’s boxing, Shields used the platform to dismiss misconceptions and provide context to what many fans have labeled a generational clash. The animosity between Shields and Ali can be traced back to comments made by both fighters over the years. Let’s dive deeper into it.

Four years ago, in an interview on Sway’s Universe, the 46-year-old was asked about what she thinks of Claressa Shields. She replied, “First of all, she could never beat me. Let me get that real straight.” This enraged the 29-year-old, who decided to respond promptly.

In an interview, the two-time Olympic gold medalist hit out stating, “If you go on boxrec and look at my caliber of opponents and look at her caliber of opponents you’ll see why she’s 24-0 with maybe 23 knockouts. You’ll be able to see why. Because she fought against soccer moms, or probably strippers or something. And I fight real fighters.”

If you thought that was all, you are wrong. The feud further progressed when Laila Ali declared that the GWOAT was not talented enough to fight her. Shields, again, did not shy away from responding: “Let’s just keep it honest. Don’t say that I am not talented. I am the most talented female fighter there has been in the history of boxing.” So what is new to this saga?

Coming back to the present scenario, the Michigan native recently sat down for an interview with former world champion Andre Ward on his ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT podcast on YouTube. The conversation begins with Shields discussing her recent movie, “The Fire Inside,” which portrays her life story. She expressed excitement about the film’s release and the promotional efforts she’s been involved in. Ward then reminded her of her ongoing feud with the daughter of Muhammad Ali, which is when she revealed the story as she saw it.

The feud from Claressa Shields’ perspective 

The two-division undisputed champion shared that it all began when fans and critics started comparing her with the undefeated Laila Ali after Shields had won her first title at super middleweight. All was good between the two until the comparisons soured the relationship. “Then people start making comparisons. And when I feel like they started making comparisons that’s when like the ‘text’ and the ‘good luck’ stuff from Laila stopped,” Shields revealed.

According to her, they stoked the fire, speculating about a potential exhibition match. Despite the buzz, no concrete plans materialized, leaving the feud simmering on social media and interviews. For Claressa Shields, the feud wasn’t a publicity stunt. She never spoke on the comparisons until Laila Ali sent out the first shot. “In an interview, they asked me, you know, ‘Claressa, so what does this say?’ I’m like, ‘This proves that I’m the best woman fighter in the world,’ you know. And I think that that may that may have rubbed her the wrong way,” contended Shields. She claimed that she has no ill feelings for Ali, adding, “I don’t feel like Laila Ali is a terrible fighter. She’s a good fighter. She did a lot for women’s boxing.”

However, for Shields, when it came time for her, she decided to stake the claim at being the best, which Laila Ali may have considered an affront to her own legacy. “But I came in the game with I’m the greatest…but I didn’t do that to be disrespectful to her. It was to make my mark and stamp my claim on what I really felt,” explained the unified heavyweight champion. She emphasized the importance of recognizing the evolution of women’s boxing. Shields’ journey, from her humble beginnings in Flint, Michigan, to becoming the first boxer, male or female, to hold all four major world titles in two weight divisions, stands as a testament to her grit and talent.

Claressa Shields also later expressed frustration over how the media pitted female athletes against each other. “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.

Her focus is now on defending her titles and exploring new opportunities in MMA too, where she has already started making waves. Meanwhile, Laila Ali, who retired in 2007, has shown no concrete interest in stepping back into the ring, further leaving fans wondering if the rivalry will ever have a definitive conclusion.

What do you think? Should Claressa Shields and Laila Ali settle their differences in the ring, or is it time to move past this generational rivalry and focus on their respective contributions to the sport?