‘If You Were My Woman…’: Laila Ali Once Brilliantly Muzzled Stephen A. Smith Who Stands Against Women in Combat Sports

Laila Ali, who held WBC, WIBA, IWBF, and IBA female super middleweight titles and went down in history as one of the greatest female fighters of all time faced a lot of struggles as an up-and-coming boxer. With a high number of people voicing out against women competing in combat sports, Laila Ali’s career wasn’t a smooth ride. Notably, her father, the great Muhammad Ali, was also against his daughter’s career in boxing. However, Laila didn’t seem to be bothered by the haters.

From the beginning, like her father, Laila was rebellious in nature and she presented an example of it in an interview with the renowned journalist Stephen A. Smith. She made it clear that she never paid heed to her father’s words and how she could listen to him taking a stand against women’s boxing.

How did Laila Ali shut Stephen A. Smith’s mouth?

There is no doubt, Ali was too pretty to be a boxer. Therefore on several occasions, people questioned her decision to turn into a professional fighter. Because if she had tried modelling or something of that sort, she could certainly make it to the top, without getting hurt.

Smith’s opinion was also similar. He said, “If you were my woman and you wanted to go into the ring, I’m saying I’m not gonna lie to you. I can’t decide what. Because if you hit the body that commences with stuff right if you hit the face that’s gonna mess with me. I’m trying to get out, I’m sure I can support that.”