The spectacle of boxing matches has seen an unprecedented rise in celebrity engagements who showcase their fighting skills by stepping in the boxing ring. Celebrities from pop culture, entertainment, other sports and even politicians have surprised the audience by taking a part in the sport. The motivations behind these activities vary from charitable initiatives to personal achievements. In this article, we will tell you about those celebrities who took up boxing and performed in the ring.
10. Idris Elba
The English actor Idris Elba is a trained kickboxer and has fought matches in his career. In 2016, Elba fought Lionel Graves at the Road to Glory UK event and won the bout by knockout in the very first round. He trained in Muay Thai for 12 months, it was documented on Discovery Channel’s documentary, Idris Elba: Fighter. He even started a training camp in the UK to steer children away from violent crime.
9. Tonya Harding
The former figure skater Tonya Harding is one of the most infamous athletes in modern history. She was banned from the United States Figure Skating Association due to her involvement in the injury to fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. Harding appeared on “Celebrity Boxing” in 2002 and defeated civil servant Paula Jones. After this, she started a professional boxing career and retired with a record of 3-3.
8. Vanilla Ice
American Rapper Vanilla Ice made an appearance on the first episode of Fox’s “Celebrity Boxing” in 2002. He faced off against Todd Bridges, who acted in the Diff’rent Strokes sitcom. Bridges earned a few knockdowns en route to a 30-27 decision, despite Rob Van employing the MMA legend Tank Abbot on his corner.
7. Lamar Odom & Aaron Carter
Former NBA player Lamar Odom faced American singer Aaron Carter at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 6-foot-tall Carter was easily defeated by the two-time NBA champion. Odom knocked down the rapper in the second round. This match was deemed a bizarre boxing match, but the audience enjoyed it.
6. Mitt Romney
American politician and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney faced off against five-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in 2015. This match was held to raise funds for CharityVision, an organization that provides surgeries to cure blindness. In this match, Holyfield ultimately emerged victorious when Romney threw the towel in the second round.
5. Mickey Rourke
The American actor Mickey Rourke has acted in several famous movies and is a great actor, but his first passion was boxing. He compiled an impressive record of 27 wins and 3 losses in his amateur boxing career in the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, he suffered some damage from his exploits in the boxing ring, which led him to retire early. Later, Mickey bounced back after appearing in some of the best acting roles between 1970 and 1990. Upon his return to the sport, Rourke remained undefeated in eight fights. Unfortunately, his health was eclipsed by exploits in the ring, so he had to undergo multiple facial reconstructive surgeries and even suffered short-term memory loss.
4. Ricky Gervais
The British comedian Ricky Gervais competed in a charity boxing match for the British charity “Comic Relief.” His opponent was businessman Grant Bovey. The fight lasted three rounds and Gervais won the fight via split decision. The prize money of £5,000 was then donated to Macmillan Cancer Support. Despite his extensive training and surprising victory, Gervais never returned to boxing.
3. Justin Trudeau
Canada’s current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, fought a boxing match against Patrick Brazeau, a Canadian senator, in 2012. The fight was held for a charity called the Regional Cancer Foundation, for which the event raised over $200,000. Trudeau ultimately won the fight in the third round, despite a barrage of punches from Patrick. The highlight of this match-up came right after the fight, where Trudeau cut Brazeau’s long hair in the House of Commons as part of a pre-arranged stipulation before they faced off in the ring.
2. Kim Kardashian
One of the strangest celebrity appearances in a boxing ring was made by Kim Kardashian who took part in a boxing fight for charity in 2009, which was broadcasted on the show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Kim Kardashian was wearing protective headgear and received a number of punches from her opponent Tamara Frapasella. Kim ultimately lost the one-sided match against Frapasella and left the ring with a bruised eye.
1. Shaquille O’Neal
The NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal also had a short stint in boxing between 2009 and 2010. During that time, a program was aired by ABC called “Shaq vs” which saw the basketball star pitted against other professionals in their respective sports. In the show, Diesel boxed former world champions Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley with some modifications, such as two-minute rounds and ninety-second rest periods. Despite Shaq’s weight and height advantage, he lost to both former world champions by unanimous decision.
Also Read: List Of 10 Must Watch Documentaries For Boxing Fans
