Musk Says Zuckerberg Declined Charity Fight in Italy, But He Himself ‘Always Ready’ for Match

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk said on Thursday that rival tech executive Mark Zuckerberg declined an offer to put on a fight for charity in Italy, despite receiving the support of Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano.

“I would like to thank Minister Sangiuliano for his kindness and willingness to organize our entertainment, cultural and charitable event in Italy,” Musk said via the social media platform X. “Zuckerberg declined the offer, as he is not interested in such an approach.”

However, Musk added that he is "always ready" for a fight with Zuckerberg.

Last week, Sangiuliano said that he spoke with Musk about holding the charitable event in Italy, noting that it would not take place in Rome.

Musk said the event would promote Ancient Roman history with the support of professional historians and the proceeds go to children’s hospitals in Italy and to organizations that support veterans in the United States.

Zuckerberg declined to participate in the proposed event because it would not involve the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), one of the leading mixed martial arts organizations in the world. Both Musk and Zuckerberg have trained with UFC fighters in preparation for their potential match.

The two businessmen have been hinting at a fight with one another in recent months, with each blaming the other for its delay. Earlier this week, Zuckerberg accused Musk of avoiding setting a firm date for the fight. Musk, in turn, called Zuckerberg a “chicken” and claimed to be ready to show up at his house for a private match, although Zuckerberg was purportedly away on travel.