Her promoter and then-husband, Yahya McClain, tried to show respect to the challenger, but Nikki Eplion was having none of the perceived disrespect. Eplion, a 25-year-old from South Point, Ohio, entered with a solid record of 12-1-2. Standing six feet tall and fighting from a southpaw stance, she was an inch taller than Ali and possessed legitimate power, boasting 8 KOs. Her only loss at the time was a unanimous decision to the undefeated Leatitia Robinson.
At 5'10" and fighting with an orthodox stance, Laila was a powerhouse in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. By 2004, she had already defeated major names like Jacqui Frazier-Lyde in 2001 and the legendary Christy Martin in 2003, holding multiple world titles including the IBA, WIBA, and IWBF belts. laila ali vs nikki eplion new
However, Ali has made it clear that she has in 2025 or 2026, definitively stating, "Absolutely not" . She has firmly shut down the rumors of a fight with Shields, explaining that her days of stepping into the ring are behind her. Her promoter and then-husband, Yahya McClain, tried to