Providing your Netflix picture didn’t glitch out or buffer you all night, you might have seen the totally over-hyped fight this past weekend featuring former Heavyweight champ Mike Tyson and up-and-coming YouTuber-turned-fighter Logan Paul. Gotta say, from what we saw and heard, it was a snoozer. Now, however, there’s been another interesting fight challenge. But just when you thought the world of celebrity fights couldn’t get any more underwhelming, a new challenge has emerged—this time involving two NBA legends: Dwight Howard and our very own Shaq!
Yes, you read that right. Dwight Howard has gone and challenged the Big Aristotle himself, Shaquille O’Neal, to a boxing match. Why, you ask? Well, because… why not? Dwight clearly thought he could throw hands with the man who coined the phrase, “You can’t stop me, you can only hope to contain me!” To be fair, the beef between Shaq and Dwight has been simmering for over a decade, so maybe this is just the next logical step in their ongoing feud. Still, we’re thinking it’s more about social media posturing than a real bout.
It all started with Dwight Howard stepping up to the plate on social media, sending out a challenge that went something like this: “Shaq, wassup? (Boxing emoji). Let’s make bread.”
To which Shaq responded with the kind of coolness you’d expect from a man who has more rings than some entire NBA teams: “Gotta have more than one ring to get in the ring with me. I’ll stick with a real champion like Rob Gronkowski, and you can have the Superman belt, all yours, buddy.”
The BIG Podcast with SHAQ
Ouch. Not only did Shaq throw some serious shade on Dwight’s accomplishments (or lack thereof), but he also tossed the “Superman” nickname back in Dwight’s face. For those of you keeping track at home, this beef goes all the way back to the 2008 NBA Dunk Contest, when Dwight showed up dressed as Superman, a nickname Shaq had already claimed for himself. Let’s just say that wasn’t the start of a beautiful friendship.
But Dwight, being Dwight, didn’t back down. Instead, he hit back with a playful jab about Shaq “ducking” him (because, obviously, calling Shaq scared is a good idea). Shaq, of course, had the perfect response, reminding Dwight that the boxing event he and NFL legend Rob Gronkowski had discussed was an “NBA vs. NFL” battle. Is Shaq saying Howard needs to box an NFL guy first?
O’Neal wasn’t done with the jabs, however. Shaq said he might (maybe!) consider a showdown… but just to up the stakes a bit more, Shaq said Howard would have to make the Hall of Fame first. Yikes! Not to be outdone, Howard responded with a simple, “Fair.”
For those who haven’t been paying tons of attention to Shaq vs. Howard, here’s a quick trip down memory lane. It all began back in 2008, during the NBA Dunk Contest, when Dwight decided to dress up as Superman for a dunk. This did not sit well with Shaq, who had been known as “Superman” long before Dwight thought it was cool. Shaq…? Not so much.
Since then, there’s been a lot of back-and-forth banter, mixed with insults. Or maybe insults mixed with banter, we’re not sure. There was a chance at calming the waters back at the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend, but Howard showed up dressed as Superman again. So yeah, game on (again).
Will we ever see Shaq and Dwight in the same ring? Honestly, who knows? This is a rivalry that has lasted longer than most reality TV shows, and it seems like it might never truly end. But one thing’s for sure—Shaquille O’Neal has mastered the art of not backing down. Whether it’s on the court, in a boxing ring, or through a witty Instagram post, Shaq’s got a response for everything.