Claressa Shields responded once again to Laila Ali’s latest YouTube video, where the retired champ categorically refuses to come out of retirement for the heavyweight champion.
In the video, Ali accuses Shields of trying to use malicious tactics to force her out of retirement, but because of the lies she has allegedly told and her attempts to invoke Ali’s deceased father, late boxing legend Muhammad Ali, she says she will not “reward” Shields with the fight.
“So, did her plan work? Did she make me mad enough to come out of retirement after 18 years and start training again, to make her dream of fighting me, and having a big payday, courtesy of Laila Ali, come true? Absolutely not,” Ali stated.
She continued, “[Shields] will not be rewarded with the opportunity to share the ring with me, or anything else. There’s your answer.”
Shields shopped on X (formerly Twitter) to clap back.
“Y’all be fooled by anything [laughing emojis] ‘I won’t Reward her with a fight’ how are you Rewarding me by supposedly knocking me Out [laughing crying emojis] being knocked out is not a reward. All that bark with no bite ‘we all know she can’t bust a grape’ But you don’t want to get hit by me though [fist emoji]”.
Y’all be fooled by anything “I won’t
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) October 31, 2025
Reward her with a fight” how are you
Rewarding me by supposedly knocking me
Out being knocked out is not a reward. All that bark with no bite “we all know she can’t bust a grape”
But you don’t want to get hit by me though