Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal wants to fight Johnny Knoxville. The NBA veteran expressed interest in hopping into the ring together with the famous stunt performer while appearing on a podcast run by Knoxville’s colleague, Steve-O, called Steve-O’s Wild Ride! When Steve-O took a liking to the idea, the boxer mentioned it would make an interesting segment for the upcoming Jackass 4.Â
“I want to box Johnny Knoxville, because I remember when he boxed Butterbean,” Shaq told Steve-O, referring to a scene in the original Jackass film where Knoxville challenged professional boxer Eric Esch to a fight inside a department store, and got K.O.’d almost immediately.
Apparently, the former NBA star had expressed interest in fighting Knoxville before, but said that, for some reason or other, the daredevil had never taken him up on the offer. Intrigued by the thought of seeing his friend get his lights punched out a second time, Steve-O promised to put in a good word for Shaq and his idea next time he spoke either with Johnny, or the film’s director.
Why Knoxville has thus far refused to fight Shaq, no one knows. However, it’s safe to say he isn’t afraid of the injuries he might sustain while filming the segment. In a relatively recent video interview with Vanity Fair, Knoxville gave a comprehensive list of all the gruesome blows he’s been dealt during his lengthy career as a professional adrenaline junkie.
The most horrific of these injuries certainly exceed any pain that Shaq could inflict on him by a landslide. While filming an Evel Knievel tribute for one of the Jackass films, for instance, Knoxville attempted to jump a steep hill with a motorbike, only to fall off and have the vehicle land right on his crotch. Though the performer managed to not break any bones, he did walk away from the ordeal with a torn urethra.
Tell us, though, what crazy stunts would you like to see in Jackass 4? Let us know in the comments below.
