13 October 2020

Claressa Shields slams Laila Ali after revealing talks for possible fight ‘have ended'

Undisputed champion Claressa Shields has derided former boxer Laila Ali after talks of a potential super-fight between the pair fell through.

Shields, 25, and Ali, 42, have been trading words for months, wetting boxing fans’ appetites for a huge clash in the near future. 

Ali retired undefeated in 2007 (PA)

But Shields has now revealed that talks with Ali, who has been retired for 13 years, have fallen through.

Speaking on Twitter, she told her followers: "The talks with Laila Ali ended.

"She know she can’t do nothing with this young, hungry, strong, very skilled Lion. Her resume don’t compare to mine, period."

Back in January, Ali told the Sway in the Morning show that Shields could never have beaten her if the two had met during their careers.

This led Shields to hit back as the two-time Olympic gold medallist said: "Let's just keep it honest. Don't say that I'm not talented because I'm the most talented female fighter there has been in the history of boxing. 

"Laila Ali is all bark, no bite. If a girl call me out, I answer. She fought against soccer moms and probably strippers or something. I fight real fighters."

Ali’s eight-year professional career saw her win all 24 of her fights, 21 of which came by way of knockout.

Meanwhile, Shields is currently 10-0 as a pro and has won every belt in both the light-middleweight and middleweight divisions.

She has also become a unified world champion in the super-middleweight division.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox