Deron Williams is apparently getting into the world of celebrity boxing. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Williams, who spent more than a decade in the NBA, will be a participant on the undercard of next month’s bout between internet personality Jake Paul and boxer/reality TV star Tommy Fury. The event will take place on Dec. 18.
There is, at this time, no opponent for Williams, but Charania mentioned that he could end up facing another former professional athlete in longtime NFL running back Frank Gore.
NBA-Boxing world crossover, per sources: Former All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Deron Williams will fight on the Jake Paul/Tommy Fury undercard bout on Dec. 18. Frank Gore — third on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list — is a potential opponent for Williams.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 5, 2021
The No. 3 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, Williams spent time with the Utah Jazz, New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers during his time in the Association. He made three All-Star teams and was a two-time second-team All-NBA selection. Gore, meanwhile, was a five-time Pro Bowl selection in his career, which spanned 16 season and included stops with the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets.
Williams would have a notable size advantage — he is 6’3 while Gore is 5’9. Gore, meanwhile, was a professional athlete through last season, while Williams retired back in 2017, and has always been revered for the amount of power he had as a runner despite his relatively small frame. Hopefully getting into boxing goes better for Williams than it did for Nate Robinson.