Las Vegas Weekly

August 28, 2009 · 8:38 AM

Photo Gallery: Shaquille O’Neal battles Oscar de la Hoya in the ring

By Robin Leach

ABC's Shaq Vs.

Photo: ABC TV

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Shaquille O’Neal’s new ABC series has him taking on sports challenges ranging from baseball to beach volleyball. However, none came close to the battle he waged while filming here in Las Vegas.

This week, Shaq had it relatively easy when he took on gold medal Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who is married to hometown hero and fellow beach volleyball ball star Casey Jennings. The two-on-two match was filmed in Hermosa Beach, Calif. On Tuesday, Shaq challenges two-time National League MVP and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols in a home-run derby filmed at the home of the River City Rascals in Missouri.

But the following Tuesday, on Sept. 8, it’s the five-round, heavy-hitting match-up exhibition inside the ring against champion boxer Oscar de la Hoya. It was filmed before a star-studded crowd at Planet Hollywood that included Peepshow star Holly Madison. Richard Steele served as the referee.

Here are the vital stats: Shaq at 7’1” stands a full 13 inches taller than Oscar and at 325 pounds weighs 166 pounds more than his opponent. It looked as if Shaq would simply crush Oscar, but we’re not going to spoil the outcome. You have to watch for yourself, so mark Sept. 8 on your schedule to watch the action and results.

I will tell you that as the pre-fight instructions ended, Oscar clocked Shaq unexpectedly. Shaq retaliated later by punching former boxing champion Bernard Hopkins, who served as Oscar’s corner man. But in the furor that erupted over that incident, Shaq was dragged to the mat when Bernard leapt in the ring for revenge.

Both fighters were still standing at the end of the fifth round, but tune in to see who outscored who and just how close Shaq came to achieving a knockout. Still ahead this season of Shaq Vs is a bike race against Lance Armstrong and a swim challenge with Las Vegas regular visitor Michael Phelps.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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