(JULY 24) In 2007 while at the top of her game and a record of 24-0-0 with 21 knockouts, Laila Ali left the boxing ring to pursue other ventures. Citing the lack of competitive fights and training at an elite level only to fight women that offered her no real challenge, she decided to go a different direction and take advantage of the other opportunities that were available to her.

Soon after, came Dancing with the Stars, American Gladiators, The Early Show and numerous other lucrative opportunities. Somewhere in the middle of all of this Laila married Curtis Conway, a much celebrated Wide Receiver for the Chicago Bears, now retired, followed by the birth of her son, a handsome little boy by the name of Curtis Muhammad Conway Jr. or CJ as he is known to friends and family. All a part of her life plan.

Although Laila had left the fight game, it never left her. There was some unfinished business that needed to be taken care of. While Laila was working through her plan, other fighters continued to use her name to garner press coverage. While it was an aggravation to her, she ignored it. “I was tired of being called out by women that are much lighter than I am, when they have no business challenging me. Especially when they are not willing, or even capable, of coming up to my weight class. ”

Although it has been said the Laila was afraid to fight Ann Wolfe….that is of course not her perspective. “Each of the top fighters with a good record has been offered a fight against me at one point or another. Each time they have coward and made excuses when a contract was put in front of them. The one that has disgusted me the most is Ann Wolfe. She has continued to pretend that I am afraid of her and unwilling to fight her, where is the honor in that? The truth is that Wolfe and I were supposed to fight 3 different times. Each and every time she backed out with excuses of a shoulder injury or not making enough money. She even made the issue about the money in a public statement. I am not the one who held up those fights….I was there, I was ready. I am not and never will be afraid to fight anyone. All I have ever wanted as a Professional Fighter are the most competitive fights.

Ann Wolfe was recently offered a fight with me and she refused due to an injury. The next thing I know, she is at the Women’s National Golden Gloves in Florida saying “I want to give a shout out to Laila, start running.” Ann Wolfe needs to realize that she is a Champion in her own right and stop using my name and the Lie that I am afraid to fight her to get attention. I understand that she wants to go down in history as “the woman I would never fight” instead of getting in the ring and facing me. She already knows that she is nothing more than a bulldog and I am the real wolf. No matter how bad a dog is, when he sees a wolf he will put his tail between his legs and walk away. The dog knows the wolf is higher on the food chain. That is our relationship. Ann Wolfe has never looked me in the eye while in my presence. That is the truth….I am not just talking smack!”

Most recently Laila has been in the gym working to recondition herself after the birth of CJ and prepare for a fight that may come her way. “I have always had a plan for myself and I have followed that plan. But when it comes to boxing, I have no control over the mouths or hearts of those other girls; I just wish they had the courage they portray themselves to have. Then the boxing fans would have been able to see who the best really is. Before I left the ring I said that the top ranked girls who said that I was holding up the game would probably not fight each other, and guess what? I was right! I am back in the gym because I love to fight! Would I like to fight again? Yes, of course. But I want to fight the women in MY weight class. You know who you are…..I guess we will just wait and see what happens.

So, will she fight again? I guess that will depend on how many women in her weight class step up and sign a contract when offered. One thing is for sure…she looks like a fighter, sounds like a fighter, trains like a fighter…..the only thing missing is the opponent!