If you ever wanted to see an NFL running back and an NBA point guard put some boxing gloves on, it’s about to happen.
Former NBA point guard Deron Williams will fight former NFL running back Frank Gore in a boxing match on the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury undercard on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Florida, it was announced Tuesday.
Gore has been training in boxing for years and actually declined advances from NFL teams this season to focus on his first fight. As you can see, Gore is taking this transition seriously.
“I’ve been training for both—football and boxing,” he told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. “I’ve always loved boxing, so that’s what I’ve been doing. And we’re trying to make a fight happen. If we do that, you’ll see me in the ring.”
Williams was a three-time NBA All-Star selection with the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets. He won gold at the Olympics with the U.S. men’s national team in 2008 and 2012.
“Combat sports have been a part of my life since my youngest days,” Williams said in a statement. “Before I was a basketball player, I was a wrestler. Since 2015, I have had the privilege of owning an MMA gym, and through that I have trained in various martial arts to stay active. Over the last year, I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to translate my training into a professional debut.”
