What’s the difference between free throws and payback? Shaquille O’Neal is good at one of them. Charlie Mack is about to find that out personally if he keeps going. ICYMI, the comedian sent out an open challenge to the Big Aristotle with a hard-to-believe claim. Apparently, Will Smith and Jamie Foxx’s best friend once got the jump on the 7’1″ giant. And he wants to take him down again. The thing with Shaq, though, he only allows that once. So he was ‘fast’ to respond to Mack’s challenge for a boxing match.

Shaquille O’Neal was on his Instagram from the comfort of his home in Dallas after attending Dwight Howard’s BIG3 game. He was already charged up from some nail-biting basketball. The challenge of a boxing match got him riled up.

“Hey, celebrity boxing and Charlie Mack, I accept,” he told the comedian and the organizers of Celebrity Boxing. “You did chop me in my neck, Charlie Mack. That’s why I talk. So funny. Payback time. You name the time and place. I’ll be there. Diesel don’t run from nobody.”

He threw in some evil laughter and lightning-fast (kind of) head movement to show those moves he learnt against boxing Oscar De La Hoya a decade ago. “See that. That’s how fast I am. You better check my police record, Charlie Mack.”

The only police record Shaq probably has is from his job as a volunteer sheriff’s deputy in three states. Unless his parking lot brawl with Charles Barkley amounted to any bragging rights, that is. The man’s off-court fighting history is not as extensive as his on-court brawls. But he’s got some chops.

Apart from a side career in wrestling on AEW, O’Neal also put on boxing gloves for Shaq Vs, a reality series where he takes on pros in other sports. For boxing, Shaq was up against Oscar De La Hoya (season 1) and Shane Mosley (season 2). They gave each other handicaps due to Shaq’s massive size and boxers being in their element. Both boxers won by unanimous decisions. Yet, Oscar and Shane would acknowledge that the massive NBA center held back his punches and was faster than they expected.

Shaq’s challenger has some old research material on his opponent. On the other hand, we have no idea what Charlie Mack’s hidden ace is except for his word that he once did what De La Hoya and Mosley did.

Will Smith’s friend had bold words for Shaquille O’Neal

Charlie Mack has been recognizable since his days in Will Smith’s entourage, ever since Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Or from when he rallied prayers and support for Jamie Foxx during his emotional health struggle. Now he’s also going to be known as the guy who went up against Shaquille O’Neal and lived to tell the tale.

Mack was on the Celebrity Boxing show this week when he was asked which celebrity he’d go up against. He quickly said, “Hey, listen, I’m making an open call to Shaquille O’Neal.” Just like the host, we want to know why.

“Shaq went around telling everybody – I’m saying this was 13 years ago – I chopped him in his neck, you know. He came to an autograph signing. We were in Dallas doing an autograph signing, and he came and tried to jump in front of the line. I chopped him in his neck, and he told me he’d get back to them,” is Mack’s version of the story. Shaq even confirmed that Mack indeed chopped him in the neck.

Mack proceeded to provoke Shaq, “So listen, I’m giving you the opportunity to kind of settle the difference. Man, you baby, super heavyweight. Let’s go Shaq-cat… I’m calling you, Sha’-knocked out. That’s what you’re gonna be. Sha-knocked it. Let’s go, Shaq!” Ohhhh, fighting words.

Maybe this incident happened when Mack was still doubling as a bodyguard for Will Smith. But both parties have admitted that Mack did take on the mighty Big Shamrock once. Interesting that the origin of this ‘fight’ was in a Dallas event. Right now, Shaq is back to his part-time residence in Dallas. Between watching Dwight Howard lose in the BIG3 playoffs and other sightings around the city, he responded to the challenge.

We knew it was coming because right under the Celebrity Boxing post, Shaq commented, “I accept let’s do it.” Once he put it out there, he responded to the ‘neck-chopping’ claims with some trash talk. The stage is set. We need a time and place. Where’s Dana White when you need him?