Former Illini, NBA star Deron Williams to fight former NFL running back Frank Gore in boxing debut
Former NBA All-Star guard Deron Williams will make his boxing debut in a 4-round bout with former NFL running back Frank Gore.
The fight was announced on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
It will take place on Dec. 18 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, as the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury.
It’s onnnnnnnn let’s go @frankgore #frmfam pic.twitter.com/meemP5MKdA
— malki kawa (@malkikawa) November 9, 2021
The fight will take place at 215 pounds, according to Ariel Helwani, and will open the pay-per-view portion of the card on Showtime. The fight will consist of 4 separate 3-minute rounds.
Williams, 37, has been dabbling in martial arts for some time now. He retired from the NBA after the 2016-17 season after a 12-year career. He was a 3-time NBA All-Star, a 2-time selection to the All-NBA team, and a member of the 2005-06 NBA All-Rookie team. Williams was the 3rd overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz after spending 3 years at Illinois.
“Combat sports have been a part of my life since my youngest days. Before I was a basketball player, I was a wrestler,” Williams said in a release, via CBS Sports. “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 Dec. 18 against Frank, one of the physically strongest NFL players in history.”
Gore spent 16 seasons in the NFL. He holds the record for most games played by a running back all-time and ranks 3rd all-time in rushing yardage. He played 15 games with the New York Jets during the 2020 NFL season.