Boxing
Would Carrington seize crossover chance to make wrestling move?
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There is a long, illustrious line of boxing stars who have made appearances in WWE programming.
From Muhammad Ali serving as a special guest referee in the inaugural WrestleMania back in March 1985 to Mike Tyson being a special guest enforcer between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels in WrestleMania XIV in 1998.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. actually fractured Big Show’s nose in 2008, while Tyson Fury fought Braun Strowman at WWE’s Crown Jewel in 2019.
Terence Crawford even appeared on an episode of SmackDown in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska in July 2024 and laid out Austin Theory with one cold right hand. And that’s just naming a few.
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Well, Bruce ‘Shu Shu’ Carrington is preparing to defend his WBC featherweight world title against fellow unbeaten fighter Rene Palacios on Saturday night in Cleveland, Ohio, and live on DAZN.
But the Brooklyn, New York native would welcome a shot at getting involved in WWE programming himself, but only under one condition.
“Man, listen, if I was to able to get an opportunity, I want to be in the ring and front flip off the top rope,” Carrington told DAZN News during a recent exclusive interview. “I want to do something like that! I want to go all in!”
Some would say Carrington, 29, already auditioned for the role. After defeating Carlos Castro at Madison Square Garden to realize his dream of becoming a world champion this past January, Carrington had a live-streaming sparring session with Keyshawn Davis filled with plenty of pro wrestling hijinks.
The playful livestream allowed both fighters to show extensions of their personalities past just boxing.
The very next month, Carrington celebrated his birthday by attending WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada, though he was disappointed by one result.
“I was rooting for Randy Orton to beat Cody Rhodes, but he lost,” Carrington conceded about Night 1 of the two-day phenomenon which drew over 106,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. “But it was pretty cool. It was an experience that I've never experienced before.”
When he posted on Instagram about his beloved New York Knicks winning their first NBA championship in 53 years just last month, Carrington’s background was adorned with WWE merchandise.
For Carrington, his fandom of pro wrestling, specifically WWE, dates back to the company’s infamous Attitude Era of the late 90s, when he was just a toddler.
The Brownsville, Brooklynite cites everyone from The Rock to Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Undertaker and Jeff Hardy as some of his favorite WWE Superstars just as Rhodes and Roman Reigns are now.
The nostalgia of it all paints a wide grin on his face during our recent Zoom session.
“I remember, my parents used to let us stay up late on a Monday night when Monday Night Raw used to come out just because wrestling was on,” he reflected. “They gave an exception — ‘OK, you could stay up late this night, but any other school night, you gotta go to sleep early.’”
Though Carrington’s boxing, where he touts a 17-0 record with 10 KOs, dominates his time, he stills makes it a point to check in with the latest happenings of the pro wrestling world when he can.
“I love wrestling.”
Boxers crossing over to pro wrestling means more than just a check
Analysis: DAZN News’ Mark Lelinwalla
What shouldn’t be lost on boxers who get involved in WWE is the brand building of it all. Sure, it’s a spectacle any time a boxing star crosses over, but think about how each showing is allowing that fighter to expand his audience.
There’s the check that WWE tenders and the invaluable groundswell of new fans that boxing stars gain with their involvement. More than anything, it’s entertainment and a chance for boxing’s elite to leave indelible marks elsewhere.
Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson are celebrity wing members of the WWE Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to sports entertainment. When I see Carrington’s eyes light up when talking about wrestling during our conversation, it makes me want to see him check off this bucket list item and leave his own marks there just as he’s doing in boxing now.
Hey, ‘Shu Shu’, if you get the chance, just be careful with that “front flip off the top rope.”
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