One would think Khalilah Ali, the ex-wife of Muhammad Ali, would want his daughter Laila — a boxing legend in her own right — to beat female boxing champion Claressa Shields if the two ever met in the ring.
However, according to a video posted by FightHype.com, she does not.
Khalilah, who has no relation to 47-year-old Laila, showed her support for Shields, 29, during a workout Khalilah made sure to attend.
“I’m Khalilah Ali. I’m Muhammad Ali’s wife,” she told Shields’ rep before meeting the boxing multiple world champion and mixed martial artist that day. “I want to back her up. I’m backing her up to kick Laila’s ass. That’s why I came to see her. You make sure I see her before I leave. I’ll take her to Dubai to kick Laila’s ass. ... She’s my hero.”
Here’s the kicker: “Laila’s mama went with my husband and it’s payback time. I want everybody to know it,” Khalilah said.
The drama between Shields and Laila Ali continues a long-running feud between two of the biggest names in women’s boxing. It stems from comments Ali made about Shields’ career and legacy, which Shields took personally.
Khalilah hopes the feud can result in some get-back for the scorned ex-wife — Khalilah filed for divorce from Muhammad Ali in Jan. 1977 — of the GOAT. However, a fight has yet to be made.
Now an undisputed heavyweight champion who has fought in five weight classes, Shields holds the record for becoming a two- and three-division world champion in the fewest professional fights. Meanwhile, Laila Ali boasts a record of 24-0, and dominated her competition, but hasn’t fought professionally since 2007.
