Today, the likes of Amanda Serrano, Claressa Sheilds, and Katie Taylor are rewriting traditional norms in boxing. Their feat is possible because of the female boxers that came before them. One among these trailblazers was Laila Ali, the daughter of ‘The Greatest’, Muhammad Ali. In an exclusive conversation on EssentiallySports’ Fancast, her sister, Rasheda Ali, broke down how Laila, among others, led the way in boxing when women were hardly seen in the ring.

Laila Ali entered boxing at a time when female boxers were a novelty. Not accustomed to women being in the sport, her father was apprehensive of supporting her boxing dream. In an earlier interview, Laila had noted, “Of course, he did everything he could to talk me out of it indirectly.” But did that stop her? Her undefeated, 24-fight-long career answers that question. Years later, her career positions itself as a watershed moment in the female boxing realm. Recalling the premise, Rasheda, her sister, reflects on her father’s choices.

Rasheeda Ali Traces the Development of Female Boxing

While talking to Kenny Ducey, the host of ES Fancast, Rasheda Ali explained how her sister struggled to get their father’s approval to venture into the ring.“Well, in the 90s when Laila first wanted to embrace boxing, of course, my dad was like no, no, no. Because first of all, he grew up in a time where women didn’t just really embrace those you know high-impact dangerous sports, but he also wanted to protect his daughter. So as a father, any father was like, no I don’t want you to box,” she noted.

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But headstrong Laila went ahead and eventually convinced her dad. “She had the right trainers around her. She loved it. Then he embraced her and then she started winning and winning and then she became undefeated. And so you know then he was like, okay, I feel more confident now. That you’re doing well at this sport,” recalled Rasheda.

It was not Ali’s success in the ring that enticed Laila toward the sport. It was the women who were headlining the sport that did the deal. In an old interview, Laila revealed, “A lot of people assume I started fighting because my father was a fighter. And I actually didn’t have the idea to even step into the ring until I saw women’s boxing on television for the first time.”

Since then, women’s boxing has taken leaps. Identifying this development, Rasheeda drew comparisons. “But I think in the 90’s, even then they weren’t televising women’s boxing back then. And now, they’ve taken leaps and bounds. Now they can do more for female boxing and other female sports. But they have since Laila started leaps and bounds better as far as getting paid what they deserve and getting the coverage that they deserve as well.”

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It is true that women’s boxing has taken ample leaps since then. Now it is no longer the same scenario. It is fighters like her sister and today’s big names that continue to propel the sport forward and create better opportunities for tomorrow’s boxing stars. What do you think of Rasheeda Ali’s thoughts on female boxing? Let us know in the comments section below.

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