Shaq responds to Dwight Howard challenging him to boxing match

Nov 22, 2017; Paradise Island, BAHAMAS; NBA former player Shaquille O’Neal during the first half of the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and Arizona Wildcats in the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis in Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Dwight Howard’s interest in setting up a boxing match with Shaquille O’Neal appears to be one-sided.

During Friday’s Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing event, Howard called out Shaq on X to set up a fight between the two centers.

Shaq responded on Monday and said that he was more focused on setting up an NBA vs. NFL event with Rob Gronkowski, which Shaq teased while attending the Tyson-Paul fight in person. O’Neal claimed that Howard needed another championship ring to be worthy of a fight.

“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,” Shaq wrote.

Gotta have more than one ring to get in the ring with me, I’ll stick with a real champion like @RobGronkowski, and you can have the Superman belt, all yours buddy,

— SHAQ (@SHAQ) November 18, 2024

Shaq and Dwight have had a longstanding beef that has now spanned nearly two decades. Even with the two players no longer playing in the Association, they still can’t seem to get along.

It’s hard to blame Howard for attempting to shoot his shot with Shaq given the gargantuan pile of money Paul and Tyson were paid to fight. Perhaps Howard will have better luck trying to convince one Western Conference contender to sign him.