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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 10: Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII on February 10, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1464868554.jpg?width=600)
via Getty
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 10: Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII on February 10, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Clips of Shaquille O’Neal‘s recent meeting with UFC Strawweight champion Zhang Weili went viral recently. An eye-catching report of him meeting one of boxing’s current sensations, Zhilei Zhang, follows. The WBO (interim) Heavyweight champion of the world comes off an electrifying win over Joe Joyce during their rematch. For a change, the two sports stars’ stature became the talking point among their followers.
A short video clip from the X post shows the basketball legend greeting Zhang. The ‘Big Bang,’ in turn, welcomed him to China. O’Neal even appreciated the heavyweight boxer’s muscles. One of the reporters present harked back to the former’s sparring with Oscar De La Hoya. He asked whether O’Neal felt any of the former world champion’s punches. And the former LA Lakers and Miami Heat stars replied in the negative.
Encounter of the Heavyweights: Shaquille O’Neal meets Zhile Zhang
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Soon after the post went viral, fans flooded the platform with their insightful takes. One user was astounded by Shaquille O’Neal’s height, which makes even 6-foot-6-inch Zhilei Zhang seem like a typical person of average size.
How big is shaq to make zhang look that average in height 😭
— Abdul-Rahman (@AbdulRa21436582) September 30, 2023
For the first time, a fan has seen O’Neal standing beside someone who the former basketball center doesn’t completely dwarf.
First time I’ve ever seen someone next to Shaq who he didn’t make look small.
— Michael Dayne (@MDayne) October 1, 2023
The next follower appears to have picked up on the vibe. He mentioned Zhilei Zhang did a great job taking his standard southpaw stance while meeting O’Neal, just in case he needed to show the latter some Chinese might.
Big fan of how Zhang approached the whole interaction in the southpaw stance, just in case he needed to show Shaq that Chinese power 👌
— Dev Sahni (@devsahni) September 30, 2023
Following a similar cue, the following user envisioned a scenario with Shaquille O’Neal as a boxer. So if that happens, then it would be like Marvel‘s Thanos on a killing spree! He stated.
Imagine Shaq as a boxer my god. Be like Thanos collecting skulls instead
— RoyaleBxng (@BxngRoyale) September 30, 2023
According to the following fan, at the moment, going against someone like Deontay Wilder would be too much for Zhilei Zhang.
Zhang says he can’t take on Deontay Wilder. 😎 I don’t think he’s earned it yet.
— King David (@MassiveCitizen) October 1, 2023
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Shaquille O’Neal, a known mixed martial arts fan, has been seen at multiple UFC shows. He once teased a hypothetical bout against South Korean kickboxer and mixed martial artist Hong Man Choi. O’Neal has often cited his martial arts training as one of the factors that helped him clinch four NBA titles.
Soon after he pulverized Joe Joyce in the third round, Zhile Zhang called out to the crowd to check whether they would be happy to see him go against Tyson Fury. Whether the reigning world champion or other top-tier Heavyweights such as Deontay Wilder accept his challenge, time will tell. Otherwise, Eddie Hearn, in a recent interview, pointed out that a match between Zhang and Anthony Joshua could be a possibility.
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What’s your take on the reactions? Who, in your opinion, should Zhang fight next? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.
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