"Shaq is a coward": Fans pile on Shaquille O'Neal for ducking Dwight Howard's challenge using 'more rings" excuse

On Saturday, one former NBA champion tossed the idea of taking on Shaquille O'Neal in a boxing match. After the offer was declined, fans sounded off on the Hall of Fame center for his reasoning.

Like several other celebrities, O'Neal was in attendance to see legendary boxer Mike Tyson take on Jake Paul. This led to Dwight Howard taking to social media with a challenge for the LA Lakers legend.

As Howard's post went viral, O'Neal responded. He did not accept the offer and said that Howard's one ring wasn't enough for him to take on the challenge.

Fans were quick to react to O'Neal's reply, with some calling him a coward for not wanting to take on Howard.

"Wow Shaq scared is crazy," one fan said.

Others said that Shaq declined it because he knew that Howard would win if they were to fight in a boxing ring.

"You’d wash him and he knows it Dwight," another fan said.

"Cook that insecure mf, Dwight. You would easily beat his heavy ass too." one fan said.

"lol Shaq don’t want to take the chance," a fan said.

After last playing in the NBA in 2022, Howard has opted to keep his basketball career alive overseas. The former All-Star has also tested his skills on TV, appearing on shows such as "Special Forces" and "Dancing With the Stars."

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Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard have had a longstanding feud

When it comes to long-running beef in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard are near the top of the list. The feud started in the early days of Howard's career with the Orlando Magic. During his "Superman" dunk contest performance, O'Neal said that Howard was trying to steal his image.

Since then, Shaquille O'Neal has spoken out against Howard on numerous occasions. One of the most notable ones was when he won a championship with the LA Lakers in 2020. With guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the charge, O'Neal thinks Howard didn't do enough to earn the ring.

Howard was far from a star-level player at that point but was still productive in a backup role. During the Lakers' title run, he started in seven playoff games and averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds.