Tony Bellew Warns YouTube Boxers: ‘Someone’s Gonna Get Hurt’

Tony Bellew is not a fan of seeing YouTuber’s cross over into boxing.

The former WBC cruiserweight champion spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about Jake and Logan Paul and the rise of internet celebrities competing in professional boxing bouts.

“These guys aren’t fighters,” Bellew said. “If I go and play football tomorrow at Goodison Park does that make me a footballer? I wish it would cos I’d definitely just walk in and tell ‘em I’m playing!

“These guys aren’t true boxers. They’re someone that’s having a go at a sport. I’ve got no problem with that. But they shouldn’t actually call themselves professional fighters of any magnitude because it’s wrong what they’re doing to the sport by claiming they are fighters.”

“I’m ok with you making a few quid, the only thing I’m gonna say here that no one has ever touched upon before and you’ll hear it now for the first time… understand, someone’s gonna get hurt doing this and it’s gonna come back on boxing.

Bellew wants people to understand the brutality of boxing and that the longer these unusual events keep happening the more likely it becomes that someone will get seriously injured.

“Boxing is a professionally dangerous, brutal, business. Do not mess about trying to think this is showbusiness,” Bellew said. “There ain’t nothing funny about being in a ring with another man who wants to take your head off your neck. I’ve been there. I’ve done it.”

“I’ve fought with ten stitches above my eye, open gashes, broken noses, broken hands. It’s nothing to brag about. Believe you me someone will get hurt in one of these fights and then that’s when it’ll all come burning down.

“That’s when boxing will be called a joke of a sport; ‘this is a disgrace, this is wrong’. Just stop it now,” Bellew concluded. “The guys are stupid, they’re putting their lives at risk.”

Do you agree with Tony Bellew? Will someone get seriously hurt in one of the upcoming YouTuber/celebrity boxing matches?