Former NBA All-Star, NFL Legend Could Meet in Boxing Match This December

Three-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Deron Williams will fight in an undercard bout on the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight card on Dec. 18, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Five-time Pro Bowler Frank Gore is a possible opponent.

Williams, 37, is a partial owner of an MMA gym called Fortis MMA in Dallas, Texas. He last played in the NBA in 2017 with the Cavaliers. The former point guard also spent six seasons with the Jazz, five seasons with the Nets and two seasons with the Mavericks. He finished with career averages of 16.3 points, 8.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. 

In September, light heavyweight UFC fighter Ryan Spann spoke to TMZ about sparring with Williams and said he "whooped my a-- one day."

“I was training for a fight, and coach was like, ‘Deron, get in,’” Spann said. “And, I already knew he hooped, and I knew who he was, but I never got to go with him. I think it was my second or my third round with a fresh body, and you put Deron in, I was like, ‘Oh s--t, nice, I get a round off.’ Little did I know Deron used to wrestle. And, he was about 230 at the time.”

Gore played 16 seasons in the NFL and made his last appearance in a game in 2020 with the Jets.

Video footage exists of Gore boxing on Undisputed "The Show" in 2014.