More former athletes are choosing to get punched in the face.
Former NFL running back Frank Gore and retired NBA player Deron Williams have agreed to exchange blows with one another on the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury pay-per-view card on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Florida, Showtime announced.
They are making their professional boxer debuts in the scheduled four-round bout, with an agreed-upon limit of 215 pounds.
Williams, 37, is 6-foot-3 and played at around 200 pounds. The three-time all-star last played in the 2016-217 season. Gore, 38, is 5-9 and weighed about 215 as a player. He retired after last season.
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“Combat sports have been a part of my life since my youngest days,” said Williams, who grew up in Texas. “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. I’m making that happen on December 18 against Frank, one of the physically strongest NFL players in history.”
Said Gore, a future NFL Hall of Famer from Miami: “I’m excited to be fighting on this card and can’t wait to show the world what I’ve been working on. Boxing has me excited, and on December 18 expect fireworks!”
Paul (4-0, 3 KOs) and Fury (7-0, 4 KOs) will fight one another in a scheduled eight-round cruiserweight bout. Fury is the half-brother of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.
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