"It would end his public career" - Fans react as Jake Paul gets behind LeBron James vs. Stephen A. Smith boxing match rumor
Stephen A. Smith fighting LeBron James is now all the rage. Influencer boxing star Jake Paul recently took to X/Twitter with a since-deleted tweet about the sports journalist taking on legendary NBA player in a boxing match, stunning fans.
Issues between the pair first rose after James confronted Smith at the Los Angeles Laksers' win over the New York Knickers on March 6. According to Smith, James warned him against speaking ill of his son, another basketball player.
Naturally, 'The Problem Child' wasted no time in sharing an unofficial posterfor a bout between the two men. Unfortunately, he deleted his tweet afterward, but a screenshot of his poster can be seen below:
James' decision to confront Smith sparked a back-and-forth between the pair on different platforms, with James claiming that he'd never stop Smith, or any journalist, from speaking critically of other basketball players. However, he implied that Smith had crossed the line into personal territory.
Moreover, James accused Smith of benefitting from the feud. Enraged, Smith claimed swore that he would have thrown a punch at James had those comments been made to him in person. This heightened the interest in their rumored boxing match, which then saw Paul post the poster on X/Twitter.
Fans wasted no time in chiming in.
"Bro LeBron is way too athletic. This wouldn't be a good fight. Would sell tickets though. That's all that matters at the end of the day. But I don't think SA will do it ebcause it would end his public career."
Another fan expressed disbelief over the matchup.
"LeBron and Stephen A. boxing match??"
One fan outright scoffed at Smith's chances.
"I don't like James, but Smith won't win this."
This was echoed by another fan.
"Smith would lose to LeBron's grandma"
A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:
While Paul has since become a boxing promoter, it is unlikely there will be any serious pursuit of the matchup, much the last big rumored gimmick fight, in MMA though, between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.
Stephen A. Smith's padwork is online
Stephen A. Smith is no boxer, but his padwork was previously shared on social media, and it has led to tremendous ridicule due to his form and poor coordination. Nevertheless, his interest in combat sports has been well-noted.
Check out Stephen A. Smith hitting the pads:
He frequently shares his thoughts on boxing matches, occasionally poking fun at certain fighters for how they lost. This, among other things, has made him a polarizing figure.