Watch: "First one is Shaq, Barkley" - Charles Oakley calls out Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley to fight in a celebrity boxing match
Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are two of the current hosts of Inside the NBA on TNT. The duo have been entertaining as analysts with Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. However, O'Neal and Barkley were recently challenged by Charles Oakley.
In an appearance on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe, Oakley was asked who he was willing to fight in a celebrity boxing match. The New York Knicks legend revealed that he's open to fighting Shaq and Chuck. You can watch the video below.
"First one is Shaq, Barkley. Yeah, them two... I'll tell you I know you about 75 pounds heavier, but I'll take him... I got some pretty good hands. I still hit the bag every now and then. I'm gonna be moving though so, but now it'll be fun. I would definitely do that with an NBA ex-player," Oakley said.
Charles Oakley is known as an enforcer and would not back down from anyone. On the other hand, Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most imposing players in the history of the game, while Charles Barkley has had his fair share of fights on and off the court.
Celebrity boxing matches are a thing now, with former NBA players such as Nate Robinson and Deron Williams getting into the ring. Robinson lost via knockout to Jake Paul in 2020, while Williams edged out NFL great Frank Gore via split decision last year.
Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Boxing
Boxing is among the most popular sports among NBA players and legends. Some use boxing as part of their workout regimen, while former players box to stay in shape. And Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are no strangers to the sweet science of boxing.
Shaq has fought in the boxing ring twice against two of the sport's biggest legends in Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley. The LA Lakers legend went toe-to-toe with De La Hoya and Mosley during his short-lived television show called "Shaq Vs."
O'Neal both lost via unanimous decision to De La Hoya and Mosley in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In addition to boxing, O'Neal has trained in kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He's also been involved in a few altercations and matches in a professional wrestling ring in WWE and AEW.
Meanwhile, Charles Barkley is a big fan of boxing and bets on fights a lot. He's joined Manny Pacquiao in one of his training camps alongside Reggie Miller. Barkley also fought Bill Laimbeer and Charles Oakley on the court, which resulted in fines.
Off the court, Barkley is more notorious. He once broke a fan's nose after a game during a fight and threw a person through a window during a scuffle in a bar back in 1997.