“I sure did punch a shark right in his face”: When Shaquille O’Neal faced his toughest opponent of all time

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal claims to have punched a Shark as he planned to overcome one of his biggest fears.

Well, it won’t be wrong to say that Shaquille O’Neal has a larger-than-life personality, pun intended. One of the most dominant players to ever step on the basketball court, Shaq was a terror in the paint and a nightmare for the rims, even breaking backboards every once in a while.

The seven-foot athlete was a freak of nature in the right words. While his appearance might intimidate some, the Lakers legend is one of the most fun-loving celebrities in America. A successful businessman, Shaq is a regular on TVCs and billboards.

Currently seen on the award-winning show Inside the NBA, the four-time champion has been part of several TV shows and feature films. Nonetheless, nothing tops his appearance on Shark Week, an experience Shaq would never forget as he planned to face his biggest fear.

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Placed in a cage bigger than that used for an average human, Shaq, was submerged in the water. However, things went a little out of control.

Shaquille O’Neal punched a shark to save his life.

As funny as it may sound, Shaq wasn’t very far from a tragedy waiting to happen. The Diesel was immediately pulled out of the water as more than expected guests arrived to meet him underwater.

The makers of the show seemed to have gotten the better of their emotions and decided to invite more sharks via chum cannon, which could potentially get close to 30 sharks near O’Neal. The situation got out of control with a shark penetrating through the bars of the cage.

Fortunately, the safety team was able to pull the seven-foot Shaq in the nick of time. A poor judgment call from the makers and their team, who were ready to risk someone’s life for an adrenaline rush.

Nevertheless, Shaq being Shaq didn’t forget to add a touch of humor to the story while narrating it on a show. The Diesel claimed to have bumped the predator as he tried to enter the cage, when asked did he punch a shark, the Hall of Famer said the following.

“I sure did, right in his face, said Shaq.”

Well, though Shaq seems all fun and games about the incident, it sure didn’t look like that as he came out of the water. We hope the NBA legend is more alert about the preparations and does a proper check before doing such daring activities.

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