Eddie Hall is open to competing in slap fighting if the terms are right. Slap fighting has been the subject of controversy in the combat sports world since UFC president Dana White launched his own promotion, Power Slap, in 2022. Greek neurologist Nikolas Evangelou called the sport - which sees competitors take turns slapping each other in the face - a 'recipe for disaster'.
Meanwhile, a medical study recently published in a leading journal, JAMA Surgery, from experts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has unearthed some worrying findings. According to their analysis of 78 fights between 56 contestants, involving 333 slaps, more than half of the participants had visible signs of concussion. Unlike in boxing, athletes cannot evade shots, with even flinching considered a foul.
Former World's Strongest Man winner, Hall , isn't a massive fan of the sport either but admits he would be willing to listen to offers. "You know what, I've had so many messages and calls. I think it's f***ing bonkers.
.. in a bad way," he told SPORTbible .
"It's nuts. I dare say I'd kill someone." Asked if he would consider taking part in the controversial sport, he replied: "The money would have to be f***ing extortionate.
"That's the thing, if you get knocked out by someone, you'll always be the guy that got knocked out by a slap. It's pretty brutal." Hall's main focus right now is MMA .
The 367lbs behemoth scored a brutal knockout win over the Neffati brothers in a 2 vs 1 MMA fight in June and is now in talks to face five-time strongman champion Mariusz Pudzianowski in the cage. Misfits Boxing promoter Mams Taylor recently told talkSPORT.com that the fight could land on one of their soon-to-be-launched MMA shows.
"It could land on Misfits yeah absolutely," Taylor said in an exclusive chat. "We would certainly be open to that, the thing is with Misfits Boxing right now it does have gimmicks. "It provides entertainment, but our safety checks are second to none, with the fighters' health a priority.
"There is a difference with us, we wouldn't have two bantamweights against a heavyweight, so health and safety is paramount. "Secondly, it is about celebrities who make a transformation and adapt physically and mentally to the sweet science. "But it is having a positive impact and yes it could for sure.
" Pudzianowski is far more experienced in MMA and has competed 26 times (17-9) as a professional. However, the 47-year-old is currently riding a two-fight skid and hasn't had his hand raised since May 2022. Get the latest fight news, reaction and the best opinion from talkSPORT pundits in our Boxing WhatsApp channel.
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