Boxing Showdown Brewing Between Laila Ali And Claressa Shields If The Price Is Right

A fight between two boxing greats might be on the horizon—but it’ll cost someone a serious bag of cash.

A recently surfaced video shows Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali and undefeated former champion herself, talking about whether she’d consider getting back in the ring. When asked if she’d ever square up with current champ Claressa Shields, Ali didn’t flinch.

“The rumor that I heard is that unless somebody has $15, $20 million, don't even call me [about a fight against Shields]. That's all I got,” Ali said. She doubled down, saying, “Unless somebody calls me and says they have it, we not even going to have a conversation. I'm not trying to come back and fight, but if someone offered that kind of money… I would actually have to think about it.”

Well, Claressa Shields definitely heard those comments—and she came out swinging.

On July 13, the self-proclaimed GWOAT (Greatest Woman of All Time) hopped on X (formerly known as Twitter) and posted:

“What a great weekend of boxing 🥊! Really motivated! Now @TheRealLailaAli I’m the GREATEST NOW! Be careful what you ask for! You know I’ve been wanting to make you eat your words! You not a better boxer than me & at 175 I’ll put you on your back! BEEN READY FOR YOU! #GWOAT @claressashields”

Shields, who’s known for dominating multiple weight classes, made it clear she’s not scared of any comeback challenge. And she didn’t miss the chance to claim her spot at the top, either.

While Ali hasn’t fought since 2007 and is now 47 years old, she still carries massive name recognition. Pairing her with Shields, the reigning queen of women’s boxing, would be historic—and potentially a blockbuster if the dollars make sense.

So will we actually see this dream match? That’s still up in the air. But if someone out there has $20 million to burn… well, they might just make it happen.