Antonio Esfandiari Scores Underdog Boxing Win Against Comedian Kevin HartHart Teases Rematch As Esfandiari Wins 35:1 Bet Saturday In Santa Monica, California |
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Just four months after claiming that he was a favorite “to break his ribs or nose” during a boxing match with comedian Kevin Hart, poker pro Antonio Esfandiari not only managed to survive unscathed, but he also came away with the victory.
All hail the champion!
PhilLaak</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicAntonio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">
MagicAntonio after Antonio’s victory over @KevinHart4real in the boxing ring. pic.twitter.com/ufW2AsR3F0— Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) April 28, 2019
The 40-year-old three-time WSOP bracelet winner met Hart in a Santa Monica, California gym Saturday morning and ultimately won a decision over the course of the three, three-minute rounds.
“I want to take the time to congratulate my guy Antonio Esfandiari on an amazing sparring match today,” wrote Hart on Instagram. “You worked hard and deserve the W champ.”
Although the exact amount wagered between the two friends wasn’t disclosed, Esfandiari did receive 35:1 on his money. The long odds were in place because Hart had previous boxing experience, and was by far the more athletic of the two.
The 6-foot tall Esfandiari told Card Player in the weeks leading up to the fight that he would rely on his height and reach advantage over the 5 feet, 4 inch Hart. However, it’s clear that Esfandiari put on a decent amount of muscle for the fight and benefited from the months of boxing and cardio training.
Hart went on to say in his post that he wanted a rematch, and that he would release highlight videos once they were edited. Hart is no stranger to the poker world, having competed in numerous high roller events both in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and in the Bahamas. In 2016, Dan Bilzerian called him out for his poker skills in a home game.
Esfandiari isn’t the first poker pro to jump inside the ring for a prop bet. Other poker pros who have engaged in some in-the-ring fights include Olivier Busquet and J.C. Alvarado, who settled a six-figure bet with an MMA match in 2016. Lex Veldhuis and Bertrand Grospellier also duked it out for a hefty sum in a 2011 fight in Spain, while Theo Jorgensen squared off with Gus Hansen back in 2009.
*Featured photo courtesy of Kevin Hart/kevinhart4real