Laila Ali On Gender Pay Inequality for Athletes: ‘I Never Made What The Men Make’

As the stars of the World Cup-winning U.S. women’s national soccer team continue their fight for equal pay, Laila Ali is in their corner – and she can relate.

“Even during my boxing career, being one of the most famous names in the world, filling up the audience, I never made what the men make,” she revealed to Access at the 2019 ESPY Awards. “I didn’t make hardly any money in boxing. I made more of my money outside of boxing.”

Unlike Megan Rapinoe and her teammates, Laila didn’t battle for a higher paycheck at the time, attributing the gap to the difference in ticket sales.

“I never really fought at the time for that, because I also understood that women’s boxing is a little different: it doesn’t bring in the audience that males’ does,” she explained. “But women’s soccer is there! They’re winning championships! They’re doing their thing. There’s no reason for it not to. There’s no excuse.”

“I think it’s great that the women coming now are making it easier for the women coming behind them,” she added.

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Laila, who went undefeated during the entirety of her eight-year boxing career, also gushed to Access about the soccer stars‘ strength and fearlessness.

“They are so fabulous. They are champions. They are doing their thing, and they’re not afraid to let it be known,” she said.

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“I think that they should soak up the moment for themselves, the championship, without feeling the burden too much of giving back – but it’s hard not to when you get that platform,” she added. “I think it’s time for women right now. The more women see women taking a stand, it inspires them to do that themselves.”

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