Another former NBA star is stepping into the boxing ring. Lamar Odom, who spent seven years with the Los Angeles Lakers before appearing on Dancing With the Stars, recently inked a Celebrity Boxing deal. He will enter the ring this summer during a match in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
According to TMZ Sports, the fight will take place on June 12 at Showboat Casino. He does not have a set opponent just yet. However, Celebrity Boxing creator Damon Feldman said that he is working on a “big name” to step into the ring with the 6-foot-10-inch NBA player. Despite not having an opponent, Odom is continuing to train ahead of the upcoming summer fight.
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Odom is not the only high-profile figure stepping into the ring during the June 12 match. Aaron Carter also signed a contract to fight on the same card in Atlantic City. He also does not yet have an opponent, but he previously expressed interest in fighting a boy band member. Specifically, he wants to take on Justin Bieber. However, Carter said that he is open to other options.
With the news that Odom has signed a Celebrity Boxing contract, several people expressed the opinion that he will meet the same fate as another former NBA player. Nate Robinson previously took part in a match against YouTuber Jake Paul. The two men served as the appetizer before Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. held their own exhibition match. Robinson did not perform particularly well, considering that Paul knocked him out.
The YouTuber took control of the November fight early, landing eight punches overall while Robinson landed 10 of his own. He knocked Robinson down twice during the first two rounds. His third punch was the match-winner. Paul hit his opponent with his right mitt, knocking him out cold. He won the bout with little more than one minute remaining in the second of the scheduled six rounds while commentator Snoop Dogg entertained viewers with his singing.
Boxing matches featuring celebrities have made headlines in recent years, but they are not a recent creation. Many high-profile figures have faced off against each other in history, including Danny Bonaduce and Donny Osmond. The two men took part in a celebrity match in 1994, going three rounds before Bonaduce secured a split-decision victory. Other celebrity matches from history include Vanilla Ice vs. Todd Bridges and Dustin Diamond vs. Ron Palillo.
