When Chiefs running back Derrick Gore ran for a touchdown, Michael Strahan — and the rest of the NFL community — did a double take. That wasn't... Frank Gore... was it? No, no, he's far too old and his NFL playing days seem to be behind him.
But ahead of him could be an even more grueling sport: boxing. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the longtime running back and future Hall of Famer is a possible opponent for another former athlete, appearing as the potential undercard of the clash between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury.
Williams, a three-time All-Star with the Utah Jazz and then-New Jersey Nets, enjoyed a very productive 12-year NBA career. He's not a stranger to fighting, though, as he won the Texas state title in wrestling multiple times as a kid (via Greg Rosenstein of The Athletic). Though he ultimately wound up choosing basketball over wrestling, the end of his NBA career allowed him to get back into the world of combat sports. He's a part-owner of Fortis MMA and evidently wants to take his talents to a bigger stage.
Gore sprang up in the headlines earlier this season for reportedly turning down offers to play in the NFL while he trained in boxing.
"I've been training for both -- football and boxing," Gore told NFL.com in September. "I've always loved boxing, so that's what I've been doing. And we're trying to make a fight happen. If we do that, you'll see me in the ring."
Based on Charania's report, it seems like he's very much trying to make that fight happen. Hiring MMA agent Malki Kawa was a big step in that direction, and we'll see if his first major fight brings him toe-to-toe with Williams. Here's how they match up:
Williams
6-foot-3, 200 pounds
Gore
5-foot-9, 212 pounds
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