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Rick Ross Has A Strong Message For Laila Ali After Claressa Shields’ $15 Million Boxing Challenge

Laila Ali hasn’t confirmed if she will return to the ring just yet, but if she does, Rick Ross and Claressa Shields will be right there.

Rick Ross recently walked Claressa Shields out last month for her Lani Daniels fight, and he will seemingly continue to support Shields no matter what her next bout is. What’s more is that, following her challenge to Laila Ali to come back and meet her in the boxing ring for $15 million, Rozay is leading the public campaign to make it happen.

As caught by AllHipHop, he took to his Instagram Story on Wednesday (August 13) to repost coverage of Ali speaking on the possibility of boxing the Flint native. “@claressashields @papoose Let’s make it happen,” the Maybach Music Group mogul expressed on social media. “@thereallailaali is scared Boss!!!” Shields responded in an IG Story of her own.

Amid Claressa Shields’ other conflicts and confrontations, this one seems to be a little bit more amicable at the moment. After all, Laila Ali still needs to decide whether or not she will actually make her comeback in the ring. Everyone continues to field offers and possible avenues, so we’ll see if – or when – this locks in. For now, we just have to wait.

Claressa Shields Laila Ali Fight

Laila Ali, no stranger to controversy herself, did not elaborate much on Claressa Shields’ challenge during a recent appearance on Good Day DC. “She inserted herself into the conversation,” she said concerning Shields, claiming she didn’t start this fire. Elsewhere, Muhammad Ali’s daughter said it would take between $15 million to $20 million to get her back and said that Shields is “not [her] focus right now.”

Instead, Laila Ali is considering “multiple offers” in her desired payout range and still hasn’t decided on facing Papoose’s boo. “I’m thinking about it,” she reportedly remarked. “Very soon, the world will know my answer to that in detail. […] I call the shots. I do what I want to do, how I want to do it.”

Meanwhile, Rick Ross’ drama has more to do with romantic gossip than specific conflict. At least, that’s what his headlines reflect these days, but that could change quick. We’ll see if Ross’ efforts successfully place Claressa Shields and Laila Ali in a ring for $15 million or more.

Claressa Shields is continuing to egg on Laila Ali until she finally picks a date and time to square up. Rick Ross is even ready to see these ladies in the ring, as he reposted an article about Ali updating fans on the proposition and asked Shields to “make it happen.”

The 30-year-old fired back, “[She’s] scared, Boss!!!”

Meanwhile, this fight is the furthest thing from Ali’s mind. During a recent interview with Good Day D.C., the retired fighter clarified her comments about wanting to fight Shields.

“I was asked an impromptu question by one of the boxing blogs like ‘Would you come back?’ And I said for $15-20 million, I’d have to think about it. Not that I want to. I’m not over here thinking about it. You see I’m hosting shows. I got my Laila Ali lifestyle brand, my spice blends. You know, my family. All these things going on and all of a sudden, I start getting all these offers,” she explained.

Ali is admittedly “flattered” by the interest and confirmed that she’s gotten “multiple” $15 million offers. However, it’s something she’s still “thinking about.”

She continued, “My main purpose right now is to promote [‘Chef Grudge Match’]. That’s my main focus and very soon, the world will know my answer to that in detail because I haven’t answered the question. There’ve been some lies that I responded and I actually haven’t responded purposely […] I call the shots. I do what I wanna do how I wanna do it, but I understand the excitement.”

Ali trolled fans on Instagram earlier this month when she “addressed” Shields’ request to fight. “Nobody calls shots on me. I do things when, and how, and where I like to do them!,” she teased.

When Ali named her price to potentially come out of retirement, Shields came forth with the demanded amount.

“That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what I like. Laila, I’m here with my team. I got some great news for you. We got the $15 million!,” Shields declared. “Let’s make a fight between me and you. The best versus the best. The greats versus the greats. The GWOAT versus Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila Ali. Let’s make it happen […] We got the venue, and we got the dates. Now all we need is Laila Ali. Is you gonna make the fight happen or what? You asked for $15 million and we delivered.”

Anthony Joshua could fight in Africa with two opponents in the mix as his manager flies out to visit epic venue

Anthony Joshua could secure a massive fight in Ghana.

In his career, ‘AJ’ has proven himself to be one of the heaviest hitters in heavyweight boxing history.

Joshua has knocked out Wladimir Klitschko, unified the division, and likely earned himself a spot in the Hall of Fame.

However, the one thing he’d still love to tick off his bucket list is a showdown in Africa.

Anthony Joshua could fight in Africa against Martin Bakole or Tony Yoka

According to The Daily Star, on Tuesday, Anthony Joshua’s manager, Freddie Cunningham, and Matchroom CEO, Frank Smith, visited Accra Stadium.

The 40,000-seater venue is home to the Ghana national football team.

Tony Yoka, who won an Olympic gold medal in 2016 after a controversial win over Joe Joyce, is in line to be the opponent.

In addition, Martin Bakole, who comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has recently drawn against Efe Ajagba, is also in the mix if the event comes to fruition.

Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul potential showdown slammed by heavyweight star

While a fight in Africa would be sensational for Joshua, it’s not the only option on the table.

Currently, it looks like Jake Paul is the frontrunner to secure a bout with ‘AJ’.

While a clash with ‘The Problem Child’ would generate huge interest from casual fans, not everyone wants to see the pair trade leather.

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury offered boxing returns by veteran foe: ‘I’d love to get a chance…’

While Anthony Joshua remains locked in talks for a return to the ring, he and Tyson Fury have both been offered the chance to rematch a common foe in their comebacks.

Linked heavily in recent days to a lucrative fight with Jake Paul, Joshua has been sidelined since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois last year.

As for Morecambe native Fury, the ex-WBC heavyweight champion has flip-flopped on his retirement recently. And is one of the numerous critics of Joshua’s potential fight with Paul.

But with their own prospective fight continuing to hit the skids, both Joshua and Fury have been offered a return to the ring by a familiar rival.

Dillian Whyte welcomes Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua rematches

Facing a sizeable task in his return to the ring this weekend, Dillian Whyte will take on the unbeaten uber-prospect Moses Itauma in a high-stakes pairing in Riyadh.

And approaching the tail-end of his career, Whyte has avenged just one of his three knockout losses — finishing Russian veteran Alexander Povetkin four years ago to reclaim the interim WBC heavyweight crown.

Two-time WBC interim heavyweight champion Dillian Whyte has thrown his support behind a potential bout between former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, insisting it would make financial sense for both men.

Whyte, a 37-year-old Jamaican-British heavyweight boxer, told the BBC that while the matchup might raise eyebrows, the business side makes it worthwhile.

“It’s a business, man. If [Joshua v Paul] makes sense and does numbers, why not?” Whyte said. “[Joshua] has won the championship twice, had a lot of fights and done a lot, so I don’t know. I’m sure he’ll make more money than he did in some of his title fights. Sometimes, if you can make some money, then make some money.”

Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently revealed talks are ongoing, claiming Paul genuinely believes he can beat the former heavyweight champion.

“At first I thought it was a publicity stunt from Jake, but now the more I speak to them, the more I actually understand; Jake Paul thinks he can beat Anthony Joshua,” Hearn told the BBC.

Whyte also touched on his own unfinished business with Joshua, expressing a desire to avenge his seventh-round knockout defeat in 2015 when the pair fought for the British heavyweight title.
“I would love to have a chance to right my wrong,” Whyte said.

WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis caught a break on Tuesday.

Charges were dropped against the 30-year-old Baltimore native who was taken into custody in Miami Beach last month on battery and domestic violence charges. The July 11 arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred involving the mother of his two children at her home in Doral on Father’s Day, June 15. She ultimately declined to press charges. According to the original police report obtained by the Miami Herald, Davis went to his ex’s place to pick up the kids. An argument between the coparents occurred during the exchange that turned physical, cops said. “The victim reported that the defendant instructed her to remove the children from his vehicle, stating he no longer intended to take them,” the affidavit read. “While she was positioned at the rear passenger door and leaning forward to retrieve her daughter from the back seat, the defendant, positioned in the driver’s seat, struck her in the back of the head.” Davis left the scene and the woman was treated for unknown injuries at a local hospital, says the report. Cops met with her, and entered a probable cause message into the FCIC (Florida Crime Information Center) and NCIC (National Crime Information Center) database requesting the boxer’s detainment should law enforcement come into contact with him. They did, about a month later, on Lincoln Road. Davis was transported to the Guilford Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and bonded out hours later.

“This case was dropped as the victim is declining to prosecute,” the Miami-Dade State’s Attorney Office told TMZ Sports. “The witness to the incident, who is the victim’s mother, also failed to cooperate and failed, after being subpoenaed for a prefile conference on [Aug. 8]. Followed up attempts to contact the [mother] via phone were unsuccessful.”

Following his comprehensive knockout loss to Daniel Dubois back in September of last year, Anthony Joshua is currently plotting his return to the ring, with one frontrunner being named that could split fans as the two-time world champion prepares to step through the ropes once again after a long period out of action.

In his previous bout, coming off a four-win streak after victories over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Jermaine Franklin, Joshua suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of fellow Brit Dubois, being knocked out in the fifth round.

After Tyson Fury revealed that he has ‘zero’ interest in clashing with Anthony Joshua at the moment, the next frontrunner for the Olympic gold medal winner to take on has been revealed, in a move that could leave fans divided, with the British star set to take on a less-than-traditional opponent.

“Too old, look at my beard, all grey. Boxing is a young man’s game,” Fury revealed, speaking in an interview at Doncaster Racecourse recently, potentially slamming the door shut on a bout with Joshua after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk back in December.

However, following the potential end to the long-awaited fight between the two British stars, another boxer has been named as the frontrunner for Joshua’s next fight, one that could not be more different than The Gypsy King.

Eddie Hearn on Anthony Joshua’s Next Fight

Speaking to iFL TV, iconic promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that he has met with the promotional company for Joshua’s next opponent, in a move that could leave fans divided, as the boxer in question has been a divisive figure in the community over the last few years.

“The thing that I wanted to understand is, do they really want to fight AJ or is this just a publicity stunt. And I am 99% sure they want to fight Anthony Joshua. Right now, the absolute frontrunner for AJ is Jake Paul, February or March next year,” Hearn revealed.

Over the last few years, The Problem Child has tried to pursue a career in boxing, with fans questioning whether he truly belongs in the sport due to the quality of his opponents, taking part in questionable bouts, such as against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

However, despite taking part in multiple ‘exhibitions’ and matches, the YouTuber-turned-boxing star has stepped into the ring against some real opponents, holding his own in what was ultimately a defeat against the younger Fury brother in Tommy Fury.

In the recent interview, Hearn revealed that despite the potential dangers of Paul stepping between the ropes against one of the best boxers in the world, the commercial value far outweighs the risks, despite the fight not appearing to be ‘overly competitive.’

“I’ll stress, I think it’s a very dangerous call for Jake Paul. I don’t think the fight is overly competitive. Maybe Jake can do something and prove us all wrong. But people are gonna tune in to watch AJ demolish Jake Paul. It’s not a fight that we called for, it’s not a fight that we expected, it’s not a fight that I ever anticipated happening, but I also understand that it may be commercially one of the biggest in the sport.”

With Hearn, who is also Joshua’s promoter, revealing that the clock could be ticking on the British star’s career, predicting that 2026 may be his final year, a decision on his next opponent can be expected in the coming months, looking to potentially finish his career in a commercial blockbuster clash against Paul.

One of Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ top coaches spoke about rumors that Davis isn’t paying him.

It has not been a good year to be a fan of Gervonta Davis, and this is owed to several unfortunate pieces of news.

The most notable of which stems from Davis earning a majority draw decision against Lamont Roach on March 1, in what was arguably the worst performance of his life to this point.

While Davis escaped with a draw, most believe that he deserved to lose the fight, especially because he took a knee out of nowhere in the ninth round that should have cost him at least a point, which would have resulted in his defeat.

Boxing outcomes aside, Davis also has had a disappointing year outside of the ring. This is because “Tank” was arrested in Florida on July 11, on charges of assault after an alleged domestic violence dispute with his ex-girlfriend.

As if this wasn’t enough for Davis and his fan base to deal with, there have been recent rumors that Davis is leaning towards retirement, which is the byproduct of his hesitancy to sign a contract to rematch against Roach.

These two were initially supposed to fight for a second time on August 16, but that has been postponed because of Davis’ absence.

Did Gervonta Davis Refuse to Pay His Coaches?

After comments Calvin Ford (Davis’ head trainer) made in an August 7 episode of The Rize Podcast, rumors began circulating that Davis has been refusing to pay his coaches recently. However, one of his other top coaches, Kenny Ellis, set the record straight about this, which was included in an August 7 X post from FightHubTV.

“Stop this narrative about Tank not paying me and Calvin. Each and every time I worked that corner with Tank, Tank took care of me. And he gonna continue to take care of me. Tank is family for life,” Ellis said.

“In Baltimore, we don’t count other men’s pockets. I don’t care if he’s a billionaire, I ain’t counting his pockets. But Tank has always taken care of us, and he’s gonna continue to take care of us. So y’all need to stop that narrative,” he added.

While Ellis made it clear that Davis has always paid him for cornering his fights, his response did leave uncertainty as to whether Davis has been paying him adequately during his fight camps and during regular training when there isn’t a bout lined up.

However, this seems to be the least of Ellis’ worries right now.

Topps Drops Gervonta Davis—But His Card May Be Worth a Fortune

As of August 2025, Gervonta Davis remains undefeated with a professional record of 30 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. He currently holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title, a belt he has defended successfully since 2023.

Most recently, Davis was held to a controversial draw by Lamont Roach Jr., in a bout that many observers felt Davis had narrowly edged.

Since then, Davis has faces legal challenges over an alleged incident in June related to a domestic violence dispute with his former partner and mother of his children.

On August 7, Topps announced on social media that Gervonta Davis “will not be included” in the forthcoming range of collectible cards featuring boxing personalities. And in doing so, they may have inadvertently created the most sought after boxing collectible.

Topps has yet to give an official reason for removing the Baltimore fighter from the collection, though social media users suggested it was linked to his legal troubles.

In recent months, Davis has been linked to fights with Jake Paul and potential retirement from the sport. Though retirement talk has been called out by his trainer as fake news.

Images of an autographed Tank Davis card have circulated online and was listed as a unique Topps Chrome card. However, that no longer appears to be the case.

“Topps Chrome Boxing features legends, rookies & stars, and is the first boxing release in history to be officially licensed by multiple boxing promotions,” said Topps in a statement announcing the release. It is the first Topps boxing card release since 1951.

Topps Has A Long History Of Boxing Cards

This is the first Topps boxing card release since 1951, which was a legendary and groundbreaking release in the field of sports collectibles. Topps decided to focus on baseball and other sports and never returned to making another boxing set since.

It includes heavyweight champions like Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis. Other Hall of Fame fighters in the set include iconic names like Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Ezzard Charles.

In all, over twenty incredible fighters who later ended up in the prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame are featured in the 1951 set.

Anthony Joshua and his next opponent in boxing appear close to locking in an agreement for a heavyweight spectacle in the coming months, and that raises alarm bells for the former two-time champion’s long-time promoter, Eddie Hearn, who is the chairman of flourishing British sports firm Matchroom.

Joshua has beaten a who’s who of big-name fighters in his division throughout the years, including Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, and Otto Wallin. He has not fought, though, since his brutal fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois — which took place at Wembley Stadium in London almost one year ago — and is not expected to return to the ring until “early 2026,” per previous GIVE ME SPORT reporting.

Oleksandr Usyk, who has beaten Joshua twice already, owns all of the heavyweight world titles right now, and Joshua’s long-time rival Tyson Fury remains retired. This leaves few obvious opponents for AJ to fight, however, of all the names linked to the superstar fighter, there is one who is “a very real” candidate to fight Joshua, according to Hearn.

Anthony Joshua’s professional boxing record (as of 04/08/25)
32 fights 28 wins 4 losses
By knockout 25 2
By decision 3 2

Why Anthony Joshua’s Next Fight Concerns Boxing Promoter Eddie Hearn

Hearn sees the bout as a mismatch

The fight is a “dangerous” one, said Hearn when talking to Ring Magazine.

Previously, Hearn had said Whyte, Jared Anderson, and even Deontay Wilder were in the running to box Joshua next. Yet a new candidate has emerged as a “50-50” probability to fight the Brit because of what Hearn sees as the enormous financial viability of the showdown.

“This is very real,” Hearn added, regarding a crossover contest involving Jake Paul.

Hearn said that he and Paul’s business partner and Most Valuable Promotions co-founder, Nikisa Bidarian, had an hour-long chat on July 30 to discuss the likelihood of the improbable worlds of Paul, and Joshua, colliding.

“Nakisa was very honest and he’s concerned about the fight but Jake truly believes he can win the fight or at least be competitive in it.”

“And now, because of the size of the fight, it leads me to believe there’s a very good chance it could happen. If I had to rate that chance I would say it’s 50:50. It was a very positive conversation and we expect that conversation to extend over the coming weeks.”

“If they really want it, it will happen.”

One obstacle block in the match-up regards weight, as Paul is typically a cruiserweight. Joshua, though, is an established heavyweight who is an effective giant at 6-foot-6 and around 250 pounds in weight. But Hearn insists both guys would weigh a similar amount on the night. As much as there could be people who point at Joshua’s decline, or to Paul’s gradual developments, but Hearn, still, struggles to “justify” a “mismatch.”

“It’s dangerous in my opinion.”

Hearn continued: “I think Joshua is probably yet to get his head round it until he knows that it’s a possibility. After my call this week I’d say it’s definitely a possibility. AJ understands the commercial world and will look at this and see that it’s huge. It would probably be the biggest fight that could ever happen anywhere. It would be right up there with his biggest purses ever. You can talk about the boxing world but this would be the outer world.”

It is the type of contest Joshua has willingly engaged in before, considering he took on the former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, and dispatched of him with ease because of a brutal, second-round knockout. There is a motivation in doing the same to Paul, so that the former creator and YouTube star’s run in boxing can finally come to an end, Hearn said.

“This is dangerous. This is like tuning in to watch David Blaine but much more dangerous and much more real. You’re not trying to escape from a box in three minutes, you’re in there with one of the biggest punchers of all time and it isn’t a game.

“It’s never I’ve called for or told people we’re targeting this but I do also understand the colossal size of this fight commercially and probably the appetite from a lot of people to evaporate Jake Paul from the boxing world. That is probably what this does.