For years now, there was a aggressive rivalry between two of girls’s boxing greats in Claressa Shields and Laila Ali. Ali is a 2021 inductee into the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame. Her profession boasts an undefeated report after 24 fights.
Of these bouts, she has 21 knockouts. In Ali’s day, she was nothing to snooze at. Hell, she was the furthest factor to snooze at. And up till latest years, nobody would rival such greatness.
What’s in a reputation?
In terms of Shields, she has been making her means for years. With knowledgeable report of 16-0, she’s looking for to provide her self-proclaimed nickname legitimacy because the “Best Girl of All-Time” (G.W.O.A.T). For these two girls, their relationship started as a mentor-mentee kind deal. The 2 started as very complimentary of each other. Nonetheless, a 2019 The Breakfast Membership interview with Ali modified all the pieces. She mentioned, “I don’t suppose there’s anybody there for me that will give me problem.” Shields took exception to that notion, particularly after her gold medal success in the newest Olympics on the time.
Since these feedback, Shields has made it her level to not solely win her fights but additionally develop into a field workplace attraction for ladies’s boxing. She is as charming as she is robust within the ring. With that kind of high quality, she seeks to promote her fights in ways in which girls simply haven’t earlier than.
Most just lately, Ali was requested as soon as once more whether or not or not she would tackle Shields in a match. She responded, saying, “Until someone has $15-$20 million, don’t even name me about this.”
Just a few days later, Shields seemingly referred to as Ali’s bluff, producing a video by which she offered a examine for $15 million to pay Ali to signal on to battle her.
The enterprise of boxing
Now, as a advertising and marketing ploy, I discover this to be genius! The G.W.O.A.T is clearly selling herself via this. However with athletes having the ego that they do, followers must marvel, “Will Ali take the bait?” At 47, Ali is 17 years Shields’ senior. From an athletic standpoint, we’re high-quality to imagine that Ali received’t be what she as soon as was. Nonetheless, there’s at all times that chance that for one night time, she could be.
That’s the kind of promoting level you may have for such a generational battle corresponding to this. If Shields can again up all of her smack discuss, she might be identified to be somebody who was by no means writing checks her fists couldn’t money. As I take pleasure in saying, I see the imaginative and prescient. Do I feel this battle will truly occur? I do. We’ve seen crazier issues occur. So, if that $15 million is legit, you completely have to contemplate it from Ali’s aspect. If this does go down, it’s sure to be the largest girls’s fight battle of all time. With that potential using on it, I ask this: Why not?
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