Shaquille O’Neal is known for his sheer size and dominance on the basketball court, but the NBA legend has also put in work on the grappling mats.
In a fascinating video, Shaq can be seen engaging in wrestling and grappling sessions as part of his intense offseason training regimen.
The 7’1″, 325-pound giant makes the experience look almost comical as he ragdolls various training partners, making them tap out repeatedly within a minute of grappling. However, one particular opponent gave Shaq everything he could handle – an Army veteran.
“The toughest guy was the guy that came back from the military,” O’Neal admitted. “I had to turn it up every night because he would you know, get on top of me and then try to pin me and he was the strongest guy in there.”
The footage shows the veteran, who served in Iraq and was injured by an IED in 2006, pushing Shaq to his limits during their grappling rounds. Despite the massive size disparity, the veteran utilized technique and relentless pressure to neutralize Shaq’s physical advantages.
“I used to go [into the offseason] and do wrestling, that’s when I get tired,” Shaq explained. While he could run basketball drills all day, the grappling sections provided an unmatched cardiovascular challenge that kept him in top shape.
Shaq is no stranger to challenging himself. For a while in the early 2000s he starred on a show that saw him square up against various pro athletes in their disciplines. He notably boxed Oscar De La Hoya.
, Shaq candidly admitted to withholding his full power during the bout against De La Hoya. He cited their friendship as the primary reason.
Shaq confessed: “I held back because he’s my friend.”
The match comprised four intense two-minute rounds, followed by a brief one-minute fifth round.
Although tiny, De La Hoya outclassed O’Neal and won the match by a unanimous decision. However, Shaq claimed that De La Hoya didn’t intend to harm his buddy.
O’Neal also asked TMZ to watch his last boxing match, in which he “turned it up a little.” Shaq was alluding to his boxing bout on August 10, 2010. The match took place during Season 2 of the same program versus former champion Shane Mosley. In the match, O’Neal seemed more hostile and made an attempt to follow Mosley around the ring.
According to Mosley, the 8-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao punched harder than the NBA star. However, O’Neal clearly hit numerous heavy blows that seemed to rattle Mosley. But after five rounds, Shaq was upset when all three judges gave the boxing icon a 48-47 victory.
Even though Shaquille O’Neal lost both of his exhibition bouts against De La Hoya and Mosley, it’s still amazing that he was able to box two previous Olympians.
