Mark Zuckerberg, head of the US giant Meta network, announced on Friday that he had not yet agreed on any specific date to participate in a martial arts duel that Elon Musk invited him to, shortly after the head of the competing “X” network confirmed that this potential duel would take place in Italy.
Musk wrote on his “X” platform: “Everything, within the range covered by the camera, will be similar to what was happening in the ancient Roman era, so there is nothing modern about that,” reports Al-Rai daily.
He indicated that “the duel will be conducted” by the two rival networks.
Musk added, “I spoke to the Italian prime minister and the minister of culture. And they gave their consent to (hold the event in) an exceptional place,” he said, contenting himself in a second message with the use of one word, “wrestler.”
In response, Zuckerberg wrote later on Friday, through his new platform, “Threads”, which he launched last month to be a direct competitor to “X”, “I love this sport and I am ready to fight since Elon challenged me.”
But Zuckerberg made it clear that “we have not yet agreed on what he says,” pointing to his desire to cooperate “with professional organizations,” including, for example, the UFC, the Mixed Martial Arts Association, to supervise this potential fight.
The Italian Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangioliano, said that he is discussing with Musk the organization of “a major charitable event that invokes history,” according to a statement issued Friday.
He pointed out that the potential event “will not be organized in Rome,” thus ruling out the possibility of a duel in the Colosseum, as Elon Musk mentioned at the end of June.
The minister added that the amount raised by the event, estimated at “millions of Euros, will be donated to two Italian children’s hospitals,” expressing his hope to seize the opportunity to “promote our history.”
“Everything will reflect an appreciation of Italy’s past and present,” Musk said on the platform, which he bought last year for $44 billion.