newYou can listen to Fox’s news articles!
Damien Lillard is known primarily for his achievements on the basketball court, but at 9am NBA All Stars He is also an avid fan of combat sports.
Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee Bucks In February, he apparently recognized his teammate Lillard’s passion for boxing, so he decided to challenge him to the match.
For sports coverage on foxnews.com, click here
The Milwaukee Bucks player is keeping an eye on during his match against the Atlanta Hawks on March 4, 2025 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Scott Cunningham/Nbae via Getty Images)
In a social media post, Kuzma initially joked that if he leaves Milwaukee at some point this offseason, back superstar Giannis Antetocomo would face consequences.
Speculation swirls as being two NBA MVPs You can explore his options This offseason is pursuing play against teams that are positioned appropriately for deep playoff runs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Next team odds: Where will “Greek Freak” play next season?
“If I leave next year, I’ll go to @giannis_an34.” Kuzma wrote His Instagram Stories featured his videos in sparring sessions.
Kuzma followed up on the post by suggesting that Lillard could become the “next” teammate to elicit his rage. “Dindin” Kuzma captioned another video of him wearing boxing gloves.
Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers controls the ball against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 22, 2023. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Lillard caught the wind of Kuzma’s challenge and reacted in a variety of ways.
“When I’m healthy… I’m stopping you on the 5th…long torso = Bhop vs. de la hoya,” Lillard wrote in a post on Instagram Stories.
April 27, 2025. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The Milwaukee Bucks will respond to forward Kyle Kuzma (18) against the Indiana Pacers in the first quarter in the fourth round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Fizeb Forum. (Imagn image)
Lillard’s response was a reference to Bernard Hopkins’ famous 2004 match against Oscar de la Jolla. Hopkins was defending his middleweight title when he knocked out De La Holla. The fight is largely remembered for the first time in De La Jolla’s career, as he lost the match in a knockout.
The Bucks list Lillard as 6’2″ and 195 pounds, while Kuzma is listed at 6’9″ and 221 pounds.
Click here to get the Fox News app
De La Jolla was significantly smaller than Hopkins when he was in the ring. Dela Hoya, often referred to as “Golden Boy,” tried to win the belt in a heavier weight class than he normally competed in.
Late Lillard Had surgery Repair his torn left Achilles tendon. He was injured in April in a backsprayoff series with the Indiana Pacers. Shortly before ACL damage, the Starpoint Guard returned from a deep venous thrombosis problem in the right leg. Lillard was sidelined in the Bucks’ final 14 games in the 2024-25 regular season.
Follow Fox News Digital’s x Sports Coverageand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
