The Real Reason The Big Show Never Fought In MMA Or Boxing, Despite Training With A Heavyweight Legend
Paul Wight has finally opened up about why he never stepped into the ring for a real fight, even after spending nearly a year training to box.
The former WWE Champion, best known as The Big Show, revealed in a candid new interview that he took a full year off from wrestling back in 2007 to focus on boxing. He even sparred with former world heavyweight champion Oliver McCall. So why didn’t he ever turn pro or try MMA?
According to Wight, he simply didn’t need to.
He explains that getting into professional wrestling at 21 was like winning a lottery ticket. With financial security already in hand, he never felt the urge to prove himself in combat sports. He has massive respect for fighters, but admits that at his size, there was nothing for him to win.
During that intense 10-month boxing training camp with coach Artie Artwell, Wight learned a hard lesson. His trainer had a few unforgettable sayings, including “Fatigue makes cowards of us all” and “Potential is a French word for you ain’t worth a shit yet.” The giant wrestler followed a brutal no-sugar, no-carb plan, but ultimately realized that real fighting requires a natural aptitude he doesn’t have.
“I’m good at doing the pretend stuff, and I’ll stick with that,” Wight admits.
He gives credit to stars like Brock Lesnar and Ken Shamrock, who actually stepped into real fights. But for Wight, the risk of failure had no upside. Between acting, movies, and making people laugh as a wrestler, he says he never felt that same desire to test his mettle. Different life, different opportunities, he notes, but he’s simply blessed with the career he already has.
