Tonight, boxers in Rio will step into the ring. They're all strong, they're all highly skilled, and they're all qualified--and they all just happen to be women.
All my life, I've heard people talking about what women "should" do. We should or shouldn't compete, we should or shouldn't get into the ring and fight.
You know what I think women should do? Anything we want.
When women step into a male-dominated arena--especially when you're coming in with a well-known name--people want you to work twice as hard to prove yourself. No matter what you achieve, some will always try to create doubt and cast aspersions. In my boxing career, I went undefeated in 24 fights with 21 knockouts. I won 4 world championship titles and the naysayers still said I was only trading on my father's name, not standing on my own two feet. So, I learned a long time ago not to pay attention to the restraints other people put on me--that's a waste of energy, and I have better things to do.
"I'm ready to fight for Hillary the same way I did in the ring: with strength, skill, and confidence. "
I respect that Hillary's has that same fighting spirit. After 25 years in the national spotlight, she's taken more hits and jabs than most boxers I know, but she stays on her feet and stays focused on what's important to her...
Hillary also has one of the qualities I admired most in my father: She lifts people up. When my dad would talk to anyone--a fan, a housekeeper, a janitor--he made you feel bigger than life. He would always lift people up and never put them down. I think that's what we should expect from our leaders--and I feel it's what we get from Hillary.
I'm retired from boxing now, but as many women get ready to face off in Rio, I'm ready to fight for Hillary the same way I did in the ring: with strength, skill, and confidence. Because this is a fight we cannot lose!
That's the way women fight. And that's the way women win.
Laila Ali is an undefeated four-time world champion boxer, television host, author, and mother.
This blog originally appeared on HillaryClinton.com