Derron Williams to fight Frank Gore on Paul vs Fury under card

As the trend of athletes and celebrities alike entering the boxing ring continues, we have yet another bout to look forward to.

Derron Williams to take on Frank Gore

Former NBA point guard Deron Williams has a date in the ring with ex-NFL running back Frank Gore in a boxing match that will be featured on the Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury under card on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Florida. Announce on Tuesday, the fight will see both Williams and Gore making their professional boxing debuts. The weight class has been set at 215 pounds and the fight will consist of four rounds.

Incidentally, Gore who has been training in boxing for quite a few years, surprisingly rejected offers from NFL teams this season in the name of focusing on his very first fight. His manager is none other than veteran fight representative Malki Kawa of First Round Management. In the other corner will be Williams who is a longtime combat sports enthusiast and has been training in mixed martial arts for years. As testament to the fact he actually part owns a highly regarded Fortis MMA gym in Dallas, which of course is where he will be going through his paces in preparation for the fight under the watchful eye of his coach, Sayif Saud.

Who are Frank Gore and Derron Williams?

At 38, Gore is the older of the two but only by one year. A five-time Pro Bowl selection who ranks third in NFL history with 16,000 rushing yards, Gore is The San Francisco 49ers' all-time leading rusher. He spent 16 seasons in the league and was most recently on the roster with the New York Jets in 2020. Speaking about his upcoming debut in the ring the former NFL player was raring to go. "I'm excited to be fighting on this card and can't wait to show the world what I've been working on," Gore said. "Boxing has me excited, and on Dec. 18 expect fireworks!"

Williams who is 37 has no shortage of accolades either. The former point guard was a three-time NBA All-Star selection with the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets. In addition he won gold medals at the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 with the U.S. men's national team. "Combat sports have been a part of my life since my youngest days," Williams said when speaking on the upcoming fight. "Before I was a basketball player, I was a wrestler. Since 2015, I have had the privilege of owning an MMA gym, and through that I have trained in various martial arts to stay active. Over the last year, I've been waiting for the right opportunity to translate my training into a professional debut."

Who else is on the under card?

Fight fans can also look forward to some other interesting bouts. There is that of Amanda Serrano, who is regarded as one of the world's pound-for-pound best women's boxers. She will be taking on Miriam Gutierrez as she looks ahead to a high profile fight with Katie Taylor in 2022. Then there is also the bout between Anthony Taylor - who is Jake Paul's teammate - and Chris Avila who happens to be the understudy of UFC superstar Nate Diaz.