Laila Ali Opens Up: Boxing Rivalries, Life Lessons, and Family Drama

In this powerful episode of THE ART OF WARD, boxing legend Laila Ali opens up like never before, sharing her incredible story with Andre. From being the daughter of the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali, to becoming a dominant force in the ring herself, Laila takes us through the defining moments of her life and career.

Laila reflects on the challenges of growing up with a famous father, the emotional and physical battles she faced, and how those experiences shaped her into the undefeated champion she became. She reveals what her father thought when she first told him she wanted to box, and the lasting impact of his passing in 2016 on her life and career.

Laila dives into her legendary pro boxing career, revisiting key fights like her rivalry with Christy Martin and explaining why she never fought Anne Wolfe.

And for the first time, Laila discusses her ongoing beef with Claressa Shields—what caused the tension, where things went wrong, and whether there’s hope for reconciliation between the two titans of women’s boxing.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Laila is also a successful entrepreneur. She shares what life after boxing has been like, how she’s channeled her energy into new ventures, and what’s next for her beyond the sport.

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(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:00:20) – Garden Tour, Talking With Husband
(00:04:45) – Current Day Life
(00:08:17) – Laila’s Entrepreneurial Energy
(00:13:00) – Laila’s Book Reach
(00:15:48) – Memories of growing up in Fremont Place
(00:20:10) – Dealing With Fame
(00:26:53) – Parents Divorce
(00:29:15) – When Were The Parkinson’s Symptoms Apparent in Father
(00:35:10) – When Her Mom Remarried
(00:40:23) – Telling Her Dad She Didn’t Want To Be Muslim
(00:45:26) – Struggles As A teenager
(00:49:11) – Becoming Hall-Of-Famer, Head Injuries In Boxing
(00:57:20) – Laila being in juvenile court for shoplifting
(01:05:42) – When She Knew She Wanted To Box
(01:10:13) – Her Dad’s Reaction
(01:13:50) – Her Pro Debut
(01:18:18) – Dealing with pressure
(01:22:29) – Fighting Christy Martin
(01:24:04) – Why did the Ann Wolfe fight never take place
(01:26:00) – Retirement
(01:30:40) – Muhammad passing away in 2016
(01:32:09) – Claressa Beef From her Side
(01:43:03) – END

Listen on Apple podcasts:
ART OF WARD – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-ward/id1767454006
All The Smoke – podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-the-smoke/id1483638752
KG Certified – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kg-certified/id1681173392
BULLY BALL – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bully-ball-with-rachel-nichols-demarcus-cousins/id1715205016
Forgotten Seasons – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgotten-seasons/id1572299955
Morning Kombat – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-kombat-with-luke-thomas-and-brian-campbell/id1471183444

Listen on Spotify podcasts:
ART OF WARD – https://open.spotify.com/show/2zgtdAGaqvrEJza1c0RdvL?si=a94a7b4be17542e0
All The Smoke – https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cdge5G5apw1LsC8jGcl4j
KG Certified – https://open.spotify.com/show/6prbJx4Jxhk00P9d6B9szd
BULLY BALL – https://open.spotify.com/show/40E66eARk2t5TaxbppnQHK
Forgotten Seasons – https://open.spotify.com/show/5hgAmM5QZhuvl695KCD7xo
Morning Kombat – https://open.spotify.com/show/6UidjqtJTs7yX2p3lFNwBX

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KG Certified – https://www.instagram.com/kgcertified/
Truth Lounge – https://www.instagram.com/truthloungeshow/?hl=en
Forgotten Seasons – https://www.instagram.com/forgottenseasonsnba/
Morning Kombat – https://www.instagram.com/morningkombat/

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Morning Kombat – https://www.tiktok.com/@morningkombat
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Forgotten Seasons – https://www.tiktok.com/@forgottenseasonsnba

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