“I would like to fight Shaquille O’Neal first, then Charles Barkley”: Knicks veteran Charles Oakley gives Shannon Sharpe his wishlist for a celebrity boxing match

Knicks veteran Charles Oakley wishes to fight Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley in a celebrity boxing match.

The NBA today is mocked at regular intervals for being a soft league. The games in the 80s and 90s were of a much more physical nature, unlike today. The officiating was not the way it has become today, where players can earn a trip to the free-throw line with even a slight touch from the opposition.

Now whether this is good or not is debatable. However, neither of the extremes is good for the game. There continues to be a constant tongue and cheese between the players of the previous era and current regarding the nature of the game.

Recently, former NBA player Charles Oakley poked fun at the league, saying the only way we could see fights like the 80s and 90s in today’s age is by googling them.

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During a recent appearance on the Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay Podcast, Oakley revealed that he would like to box Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley in a celebrity match.

Charles Oakley is ready to take on the cast of Inside the NBA.

While talking about celebrity boxing matches, Shannon asked Oakley, who would he like to fight, to which the latter replied, first Shaq, then Barkley. The former Knicks All-Star didn’t hesitate to throw a challenge at the seven-foot Diesel.

Oakley admitted that he didn’t have Shaq’s size but was confident of being faster than the four-time champion. The Cleveland native does have experience in boxing and pretty good hands to give Shaq tough competition.

“I know he’s (Shaq) about 75 pounds heavy I’ll take him. I got pretty good hands. I’m gonna be moving though, so. But it’ll be fun, I would definitely do that with the “NBA x” player. I still got the little bobby weave in me.”

It’s interesting how Oakley has a physical specimen like Shaq as his top opponent when it comes to having a boxing match. Both the players come from old school nature, playing at a time when the league was known for its physical brutality.

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It will be interesting to see what Shaq and The Chuckster have to say about Oakley’s challenge.