Inside a boxing ring, Frank Gore and Deron Williams were out of their element but still managed to put on an entertaining show.
The NBA's Williams beat the NFL's Gore in a showcase bout inside the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The score totals were a bit all over the place, but the fight favored Williams via split decision (38-37, 37-38, 40-35). The crowd was standing the entire time as both athletes put on an entertaining show.
“Honestly, I probably looked terrible out there. I felt like my last five sparring sessions I was on point. My head wasn’t coming up," Williams stated after the fight. "As soon as you get out here and you start getting touched, it’s a whole different thing. All your training goes out the window. It was fun. I had a chance to get out here. But like I said coming in, it’s one and done.
“We got the win. That’s what we came here to do. Couldn’t have done it without my team and my trainers. I’m just happy we got the W."
Williams looked to have the advantage early on, landing quick jabs and inside body shots. Gore would swing wildly, looking to take Williams out. Williams was reaching and connecting, landing a huge right to the face of Gore. He landed more inside body shots as the crowd tried to will Gore, a Florida native, on.
Shots continued to land for Williams, as he went back to the jab. Gore, frustrated, pushed Williams into the corner land landed combination hooks. Williams would reverse and had him by the ropes. He landed a right, and then pushed Gore through them. Gore then shoved Williams and started swinging away. Williams followed suit, and would eventually win the exchange.
----#GoreWilliams pic.twitter.com/l8ngy969Bx
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) December 19, 2021
Williams hammered Gore with vicious shots in the third, including an overhand and a right. Both continued to swing away in the fourth and final round, with Gore needing help from the referee at certain points.
WHAT A FIGHT!@DeronWilliams takes down Frank Gore via split decision in a war --#WilliamsGore Order #PaulWoodley https://t.co/K8evGXftD4 pic.twitter.com/0RVlVR2HMx
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) December 19, 2021
According to CompuBox, Gore landed 39 shots compared to Williams 48, with Williams leading in power 35 to 28.
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