Eddie Hearn wants to make Laila Ali vs. Claressa Shields, but...

[Ruthless-RKO]

The only problem is, Hearn doesn’t represent either fighter, so it could prove a difficult task.

Shields is currently promoted by Dmitriy Salita, whilst Ali is retired and not considering a comeback at this stage.

Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn has been vocal this week on putting together a fantasy super-fight in the future.

A women’s clash between Laila Ali and Claressa Shields, covered by WBN last week, has been making headlines of late.

Hearn was in-studio on SiriusXM’s The Ak and Barak Show yesterday where he stated his desire to make the collision.

As stated by the legendary daughter of Muhammad Ali, Hearn would have to make Ali a huge offer of between five and ten million dollars in order to entice the ex-champ back.

“Who inspires me to come out of retirement at 42? – Do you have $5 million for me, do you have $10 million for me?

“Cause it’s going to take at least that to come get me,” Ali told Sirius XM last wee.



See below for a lot of juicy tidbits from the Sirius XM interview:

– Starting at 12:00, he starts discussing Al Haymon and a potential Joshua-Wilder showdown, mentioning that if Tyson Fury loses he expects him to step aside and not chase a Wilder trilogy but if Wilder loses, he will likely want a Fury trilogy. He also mentions that Deontay Wilder has done a great job raising his own star power but by using AJ’s name.

– At approx 26 mins in, he discusses loving the idea of a potential Laila Ali-Claressa Shields fight and reveals that he DM’d Laila last year about a potential comeback.

– At approx 29:30, he gives his candid thought on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the Royal Family.
The Ak and Barak Show airs weekdays from 12-3p ET on your home for boxing, SiriusXM Fight Nation Channel 156.

[margaret thatcher]

Would that be on the undercard of his next YouTuber event?

[fanman]

Great, get Muhammad Ali's daughter, a mother of children, to risk her life in her 40s.
Classy.

[Onetimeonly]

I'll tell you one thing, I'd pay for one of those Paul boy fights before I'd watch this

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ali, 42-years-old, stated earlier in the year that nobody on the current landscape could tempt her to return to the sport.

Shields, 24-years-old, took offense to that statement - and stated “I don’t think Laila Ali could beat me in her prime."

A two-time Olympic old medal winner, Shields says she is ready and willing to face Ali.

And Ali stated that a purse of $5 million would be the price tag to make her return to the sport.

Shields believes the money is there to make the fight a reality - but it's not clear who would stake those type of funds for the contest.

Ali made it known that she hasn't even thought about returning to the ring - until all of this talk began with respect to a fight with Shields. She makes it clear that she needs to have the right feeling, about the opponent and the money, to take the fight.

"Have I been sitting around and thinking about boxing? No. But lately there's been a little chatter," Ali said.

"[Shields has] been calling me out... and people are asking me: would you come back? Well, I have to be inspired by the opponent. I have to be inspired by the purse, because I have multiple things going on, multiple streams of income. I don't need to do it. I have to want to do it."

[joshj909]

Nobody wants to see this fight, this doesn't solidify Shields as an all time great and the fight would lose millions.

Ali has been retired for 13 years and not training for just as long I imagine. Shields is looking pathetic here. If she wants a big fight, face Savannah Marshall, Braekhus or drop some weight to face someone of a better calibre than her past opponents.

[Enlightened-One]

If the fight somehow goes ahead, it’ll likely be staged towards the tail end of 2020, which would be approaching fourteen years since Ali last competed.

Shields was only eleven years of age the last time Laila Ali fought.

An incredibly ring-rusty and well-passed-their prime version of Laila Ali would be facing an opponent that is young enough to be her child (since she’s 17 years her junior).

Surely the athletic commissions and the various sports’ governing bodies wouldn’t allow such a fight to go ahead? The TV networks won’t be able to sell this event, since it’s ridiculous mismatch that cannot possibly be sold as a genuine sporting spectacle.

They may as well try to sell a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, because the age gap isn't as severe.

[Syntax Error]

Claressa Shields ought to be embarrassed mentioning Ali's name as a possible opponent.

If Ali wants to talk about her, then that's fine, but she shouldn't be entertaining Ali at all.

The fight would prove precisely nothing, unless Ali somehow won, but that's never going to happen.

[KiwiRider]

I saw Laila on Action Bronson's show a year or so back. She was promoting her vegan cookbook I think.
She looked in good shape, but old.
Like a 40 ish mum, which she is, and should stick to.

[Tony1244]

Great, get Muhammad Ali's daughter, a mother of children, to risk her life in her 40s.
Classy.

Risk her life? Shields isn't exactly Earnie Shavers.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Claressa Shields Details Her Fiery Exchange With Laila Ali

Plenty of words have been kicked around, including Ali - during an interview on "Sway in The Morning" - explaining how she could easily beat a fighter like Shields, who is undefeated and a two-time Olympic gold medal winner.

During the same interview, Ali claimed Shields had called her a bad businesswoman - something Shields says she never said.

Back in January, Shields sent a private message to Ali on social media, to try to clear up some of the misinformation.

According to Shields, Ali replied a few months later with some verbal fire.

"She goes, 'You are a real punk. Talking all that sh-t publicly but trying to make nice in private,'" Shields explained to TMZ Sports.

And Shields further states that Ali continued the incoming barrage by writing back - "I'm gonna teach you a whole lot of things that will make you a better fighter and person. Lesson #1: Learn to shut your mouth about money being there because it's not there until it's in an escrow account.

"I can see right through you and always have. So just be patient, and hopefully you will have the opportunity to try and knock me out. Even though you're not even hurting these soft girls you have been fighting."

Shields then responded to Ali - "I hurt everybody I fight. But the girls are way tougher now, and they don't go down now like they went down back in the day. Those bitches was soft."

One thing is certain - if the money is right, Shields is ready and willing to fight.

[handsofstone]

Shields is one of the most unlikeable people in the game, her Twitter feed alone tells me that, shes constantly having to big herself up coz no one gives a toss about her

[jujigatame]

Ali is 42 years old, hasn't fought since she was in her 20s, and wasn't even that good in her prime. This is incredibly stupid.

[adislav123]

absolutely tificilous, who theceff gives a crap?
literally who the eff gives a poo??
how he even got the idea considering this anything else than 100% bullshit is beyond me.

[adislav123]

absolutely tificilous, who theceff gives a crap?
literally who the eff gives a poo??
how he even got the idea considering this anything else than 100% bullshit is beyond me.

[Cyclops]

Claressa Shields ought to be embarrassed mentioning Ali's name as a possible opponent.

If Ali wants to talk about her, then that's fine, but she shouldn't be entertaining Ali at all.

The fight would prove precisely nothing, unless Ali somehow won, but that's never going to happen.

The Shields family are into hitting old people though, aren't they?

[Nile4000]

Ali is 42 years old, hasn't fought since she was in her 20s, and wasn't even that good in her prime. This is incredibly stupid.

Understand your opinion, but would you tell Laila that face-to-face?

[jujigatame]

Ali is 42 years old, hasn't fought since she was in her 20s, and wasn't even that good in her prime. This is incredibly stupid.

Understand your opinion, but would you tell Laila that face-to-face?

I mean, if I saw her on the street I wouldn't run up to her and say "you were overhyped and mediocre in your prime!" if that's what you're asking.

[margaret thatcher]

Ali is 42 years old, hasn't fought since she was in her 20s, and wasn't even that good in her prime. This is incredibly stupid.

Understand your opinion, but would you tell Laila that face-to-face?

What if he did, you think she gonna launch some hands at his chin or something?

[Nile4000]

Understand your opinion, but would you tell Laila that face-to-face?

I mean, if I saw her on the street I wouldn't run up to her and say "you were overhyped and mediocre in your prime!" if that's what you're asking.

Gotcha .

[Nile4000]

Understand your opinion, but would you tell Laila that face-to-face?

What if he did, you think she gonna launch some hands at his chin or something?

You never know with some fighters. She might take offense at the critique of her abilities to make a point.

[lazboy]

Eddie Hearn should concentrate on matchups that actually interest fans of boxing.

[Evander]

Women can be among the most ferocious boxers out there.
Almost all their fights are good., even the under cards are barn burners at times.
Why don't they succeed ?
Let's go back to Laila Ali, didn't have that big one prime time with Christy Martin did she, took fkn ages.
Now we have Claressa trying to hustle on an old Ali to make a dollar.

Where are we going wrong with women's boxing at the high level ?

Honest opinions only

[TheLeprechaun]

Shields is so bad that I think a 42 year old Laila could actually beat her.

[Enlightened-One]

If the fight somehow goes ahead, it’ll likely be staged towards the tail end of 2020, which would be approaching fourteen years since Ali last competed.

Shields was only eleven years of age the last time Laila Ali fought.

An incredibly ring-rusty and well-passed-their prime version of Laila Ali would be facing an opponent that is young enough to be her child (since she’s 17 years her junior).

Surely the athletic commissions and the various sports’ governing bodies wouldn’t allow such a fight to go ahead? The TV networks won’t be able to sell this event, since it’s ridiculous mismatch that cannot possibly be sold as a genuine sporting spectacle.

They may as well try to sell a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, because the age gap isn't as severe.