WHAT? The Pettiest Move in Sports History: Boxer Adopts Opponent’s Son Before Match
A boxer adopted his opponent’s son ahead of a match? Boxing took a turn into uncharted territory when Stizz revealed he’d adopted his upcoming opponent WP Rell’s son just one week before their rematch at the Gillie & Wallo Knock Out Party 2025. The announcement came during the press conference leading up to the event, scheduled for December 19 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
Boxer Adopts Opponent’s Son One Before Match
Stizz, a Philadelphia-based boxer and battle rap figure, brought WP Rell’s son’s mother to the stage during the conference, setting off a chain reaction of tension in the room. According to reports, the baby mother handed Stizz documents that looked like child support papers while he declared, “Your son is my son now.” Rell reportedly appeared visibly shaken as the situation unfolded, with sources noting that tensions boiled over in the moment. Even Gillie, the event’s organizer, seemed caught off guard by the stunt, stepping back to let the situation play out.
Stizz positioned the adoption as a statement against absentee parenting, using it as psychological warfare ahead of their fight. He’d previously teased the move on Instagram, writing cryptic warnings that he had a “surprise” in store for Rell, telling him to “stay tuned tomorrow.” The adoption announcement spread across social media, catching the attention of professional boxer Terence Crawford, who reacted to the moment on Instagram with the comment, “Who won this fight, though?”
The rematch itself carries weight because their first encounter ended prematurely due to an injury. Details about what happened in that initial bout remain limited, but the unresolved nature of their first fight gave this rematch additional stakes heading into December 19.
Reactions online split between viewing the move as disrespectful and seeing it as justified if Rell truly wasn’t involved in his son’s life.
