In a recent interview with CNBC, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his uncertainty about whether the highly anticipated boxing match between billionaire tech moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg will actually take place. The two tech titans have been throwing verbal jabs at each other in recent weeks, and speculation has been mounting that they will settle their differences in the ring.
Zuckerberg, who has been relatively quiet about the rumors of a match, was asked directly about the potential matchup in an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Alley. He replied with a chuckle, “I’m not sure.”
While the prospect of having Zuckerberg and Musk box each other has been a hot topic of discussion among tech circles, the truth is it would be an extremely complicated event to actually pull off. Musk is a controversial figure, and many of his recent actions have led to calls for boycotts of his companies. He was recently barred from Twitter after his tweets violated the platform’s rules. Likewise, Zuckerberg has faced significant public scrutiny over his handling of Facebook users’ data and privacy.
To further complicate matters, Musk and Zuckerberg have differing relationships with tech regulators. Many of Musk’s projects, such as his space exploration company SpaceX, are subject to federal regulations. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg recently received a record-breaking fine from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over Facebook’s use of personal data.
The public interest in the matchup has also led to a variety of ethical concerns. It would be challenging to ensure that the fight would be solely in a sporting sense, without any bad blood lingering after the fight. The result of the fight could also have a polarizing effect on tech culture, with supporters of either tech titan taking sides.
Whether or not the match actually takes place, one thing’s for sure—it has certainly made for an interesting time in the tech industry. For the time being, Zuckerberg remains unconvinced that the matchup will happen, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
