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Shaquille O’Neal made an incredible claim in the most recent episode of his podcast. The Big Diesel has claimed that he once had a lower body fat percentage than soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo. Shaquille also revealed that he had to later put on some weight because such a low body fat percentage couldn’t be sustained.

Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest footballer in the world. In addition, he is often touted as the greatest athlete of all time. In fact, Ronaldo is well-known for his superhuman work ethic and dedication to maintaining his Herculean physique.

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However, it seems like the NBA’s most dominant player of all time could’ve given the Portuguese phenom a run for his money back in the day.

Shaquille O’Neal reveals that he had less body fat than Cristiano Ronaldo

Shaquille O’Neal claimed in the most recent episode of Big Podcast with Shaq, that he had a lower body fat percentage than soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The Big Diesel claimed he had only 6-7% body fat during his stint with Orlando Magic.

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Incidentally, Cristiano Ronaldo famously shocked the world in 2018 after doctors found out during his medical exam before signing for the Italian club Juventus that he had a body fat percentage of only 7%. That is an incredible achievement for a 33-year-old athlete.

To put it into perspective, Ronaldo’s body fat percentage put to shame many athletes in their early 20s. The world once again witnessed the extent of Ronaldo’s dedication to the game.

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However, Shaq was much younger than Ronaldo when he played in Orlando. In fact, the 2000 MVP got drafted by the Magic in the 1992 NBA draft at the age of 20. His tenure with the Florida franchise lasted for about four years.

Shaq explains the reason he put on weight

Meanwhile, Shaq also explained the reason he couldn’t sustain his low body fat percentage. In fact, the four-time NBA champion revealed that the opposition players would often play a physical game with Shaq.

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It was a common ploy to mitigate the 7’1″ giant’s dominance in the paint. Therefore, Shaq had put on more weight to stand his ground on the floor.

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What do you think of Shaq’s claim? Let us know your thoughts below.