Laila Ali’s Choice to Retire

Muhammad Ali said that God is the Greatest and that he was just a humble follower. Looking at the earthly contests in sports, God didn’t just make one person great. He gave talents and skills to people all over the world. There is always going to be someone better at something than someone else. It doesn’t end. Just because we haven’t seen anyone as great as Muhammad Ali doesn’t mean that no one is greater than he is. But we might not ever see that person. That person may not be in the ring but can fight. And not everyone wants a boxing career that can fight. There are a lot of reasons why I say what I say. The search for the best is never over.

So let’s talk bout Laila Ali now. She was the best when she fought during her time. She fought the girls that came her way. Those that couldn’t, too bad. When you can’t make a fight happen, it doesn’t happen. You should continue and move on the way Laila has done, and she never lost a fight. Could have but didn’t. How about that time she had a cold or a flu fighting in the ring and still won? She could have lost that fight.

People say that Laila didn’t fight the best. Well, I thought about it long and hard. Ann Wolfe looked like the best. But we can’t know who was the best between her and Laila because the fight never happened. Ann Wolfe could have gave Laila a Mike Tyson hard knock out punch and won or Laila could have got up from the punch. She could have knocked Ann Wolf out and won. The fight could have went either way. We can’t say for sure. People put Laila down that she didn’t fight the best but who’s the best? The world is looking at two women as the best. Did Ann Wolfe fight the best? I never hear anyone saying that Ann didn’t fight the best. Who’s the best? What does that mean? 

I think Laila Ali has done good fighting for what…. about 8 years? She hung in there a long time. That’s a long time not to lose a fight. Time was running out. She wanted to settle down and have her a family. Life was more than a fight inside the ring. She can always return. If she wants to return, the sooner the better. It was her choice to retire, and I think she made the right choice.

Laila Ali: Shop My Spice Blends

 

Being In Fighting Shape

 

I believe that if someone approached Laila and slapped her, she would quickly snap to attention and instinctively respond with a slap or punch in return. Having received boxing training, she wouldn’t need to consciously recall her techniques; she would react instinctively in the heat of the moment. That’s what I call being in fighting shape. It would be a quick knock out.

Laila Ali Breaks Silence on Beef with Claressa Shields

 There has been some beef with Laila Ali and Claressa Shields. I had no idea this has been going on recently. But how I found out is, some weeks ago I had a dream about Laila Ali. She was caring a little baby in her arms. We were inside a building in a hall way. I said: Hi Laila! She wouldn’t speak to me, and she looked kind of worried. Then, later in the dream we were both standing outside somewhere. I didn’t recognize the place. She began speaking to me. Maybe the dream was trying to tell me that Laila has her own personal trials, but a good person. She does have a family. Dreams can be symbolic you know.

This morning, I heard her voice in my dream saying: “You already knew.” So when I woke up, after reading over some papers and popping on the TV, I thought: “Let me see if Laila Ali is up to anything new.” I got on the internet. I checked YouTube and Claressa’s name came up about Laila in the headlines. 

See the video below: Laila Ali Breaks Silence on Beef with Claressa Shields 

I See Laila’s Father In Her

 I love to watch Laila Ali, and I love to hear her talk. I see her father in her though she is a different person than he was. Laila mentioned: I am a healthy 42. I’m not just a 42 that’s just been sitting around. I am a 42 who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke - eats clean. ..” In these words and in her expression,  I see her father. See the video below. Subscribe to Hypefight.

Laila Ali Talks About Her Father’s Greatest Lessons

 It’s been a while. I came across this video about Laila Ali. She is talking about her father in this video. I hope the owner will keep it posted on YouTube for us and that it be kept as history for Laila Ali. Subscribe to High Performance 

Claressa Shields Mentions Laila

 

YouTube

Claressa Shields is a mixed martial artist and professional boxer. I just found out about something she has said in the past about Laila Ali on Twitter.

🗣️️CLARESSA SHIELDS RESPONDS TO LAILA ALI'S (@TheRealLailaAli) OFFER TO SPAR@Claressashields: "THAT CONVERSATION WAS LIKE A FULL JOKE...SHE'S ALWAYS FELT THREATENED BY ME...SHE NEVER SUPPORTED NO WOMAN IN WOMAN'S BOXING."

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE: https://t.co/5KaTIgJtL6 pic.twitter.com/7lWbT5TaEc

— Ask The Experts with Curran Bhatia (@ATE_Podcast) April 9, 2020

Claressa is saying that Laila Ali felt threatened by her and she’s also saying Laila is envious of her. By this time, Laila has retired from boxing. She knows Laila is not going to come out of retirement. That doesn’t mean Laila can’t prove her wrong. But why should Laila come out of retirement just to do that? If she does, she’ll be back into boxing, and that’s not what Laila wants to do. Laila still hits the punching bag and is staying healthy. She has gone on to do other things. I’m going to leave it as that. But there is one thing I do know for a fact. It didn’t matter to Laila when she was boxing whether you knew mix martial arts. Boxing is just boxing all by itself, and you had to do just that. Girls got in the ring thinking that they could beat Laila, and they couldn’t prove themselves.

🗣️ "MUHAMMAD ALI IS THE GREATEST, LAILA ALI'S JUST HIS DAUGHTER"

🥊 @Claressashields says @TheRealLailaAli is "envious" of her, but hopes she comes out of retirement to face her & vows it'll be a "big mistake"

📺 FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/KReLINzcme#Boxing pic.twitter.com/xD8EO4oKTv

— Pro Boxing Fans (@ProBoxingFans) March 8, 2020

 

Claressa has held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the undisputed female light middleweight title since March 2021; the undisputed female middleweight title from 2019 to 2020; and the unified WBC and IBF female super middleweight titles from 2017 to 2018. Shields currently holds the record for becoming a two- and three-weight world champion in the fewest professional fights.As of October 2022, she is ranked the world's best active female middleweight by BoxRec, as well as the best active female boxer, pound for pound, by ESPN and The Ring.

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Curran Bhatia