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Former NBA Star Challenges Shaq to Boxing Match

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Shaquille O’Neal was recently challenged to a boxing match.

Dwight Howard has officially challenged Shaquille O’Neal to a boxing match. The Dwight Howard vs Shaq beef has gone on for quite a long time, and it continued the other day when Howard reached out to Shaq about a boxing match. Their relationship has been the subject of a lot of off-the-court NBA drama, as everyone is intrigued by why these two legends can’t seem to get along. Despite Howard’s attempts to mend fences, Shaq seems content to keep the Shaq-Dwight rivalry alive.

Former NBA Star Dwight Howard Challenges Shaq To Boxing Match

The Start of the Dwight Howard vs Shaq Beef

The Shaq-Dwight rivalry began in 2008 during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest when Dwight Howard, then a star for the Orlando Magic, performed a dunk wearing a Superman cape. This bothered Shaq, who had long been nicknamed “Superman” (among dozens of other nicknames).  Shaq viewed Howard’s move as an affront to his legacy. From there, their rivalry snowballed. Shaq consistently criticized Howard’s performance and personality. Shaq often accused Howard of lacking the dominance and competitive fire that Shaq had during his Hall of Fame career.

Howard always expressed confusion and disappointment over Shaq’s animosity. He has repeatedly stated that he admires O’Neal’s achievements and sees no reason for ongoing conflict. In recent years, Howard even reached out publicly and privately to squash the beef. Shaq hasn’t budged, keeping his fighting fists up.

The Dwight Howard vs Shaq Boxing Challenge

The beef continued recently when Dwight Howard challenged Shaq to a boxing match. The proposal came after discussions about a hypothetical NBA vs. NFL celebrity boxing event started during the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight. Shaq denied Howard’s challenge with a dig, saying,

“Gotta have more than one ring to get in the ring with me.”

He went on to suggest that Howard could box an NFL player first and, only after proving himself and earning a Hall of Fame induction, would Shaq maybe fight him. 

Howard’s response was playful, suggesting Shaq was ducking the challenge. The exchange reignited their rivalry, with fans taking to social media to debate whether the two should face off in the ring. While the idea of an NBA vs. NFL boxing event has the potential to attract massive viewership, the prospect of Shaq and Howard settling their differences physically seems unlikely.

Inside the NBA Discussion

The conversation about a Dwight Howard vs Shaq fight continued on Inside the NBA when Shaq’s coworkers egged him on. They asked Shaq why he wasn’t going to fight Dwight, to which he responded, “I only fight people in the Top 75.” 

This is another dig at Howard. Many believe he was snubbed from the Top 75 NBA Players of All Time list. Shaq’s co-hosts mentioned this on the segment, saying that they believed he should be on the list. 

Charles Barkley also joined in on the fun. He repeatedly told Shaq that Dwight would “whoop” him in a boxing match. The producers of the show even played along, making a “tale of the tape” for the two rivals. The Shaq Dwight rivalry may never be resolved with a boxing match, but hopefully, the two can make up and respect each other’s greatness.

The post Former NBA Star Challenges Shaq to Boxing Match appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.