Eddie Hearn has voiced his concern about YouTube boxing following AnEsonGib's knockout win against Austin McBroom.
McBroom was taken to hospital after being knocked down and out by Gib earlier this month. The fight took place in Los Angeles and both men had received a professional license but McBroom had never competed in a professional bout before whilst it marked Gib's first such venture since his loss to fellow YouTube star Jake Paul in 2020.
Gib dropped McBroom five times in the fight before veteran referee Jack Reiss waved it off after the final knockdown in the fourth round. Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn thinks the fight between the two YouTubers evidenced the dangers of the sport, telling The Residency podcast: "The aftermath and the opinions of that world are non-stop. Going back to Gib vs McBroom, you've got to be a little bit careful because it's a very dangerous sport. They always say don't play boxing and you've just got to be careful.
Do you think YouTube boxing is dangerous? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below
"I think in boxing, I find it quite fascinating that people can have the same drive, ambition and hunger when they change their level to those kind of levels. Boxing is very dangerous, tough and brutal. It's cut-throat as a sport and as a business. Marvin Hagler had a great quote that said how do you get up and do your morning runs wearing your silk pyjamas."
Many YouTubers who are stepping into the ring for the first time compete in exhibition fights, which have safer rulesets compared to professional bouts. Hearn promoted the rematch between YouTube rivals turned business partners KSI and Logan Paul in 2019 after watching their white-collar fight in 2018. The pair wore headgear for their first fight, but Hearn insisted he would only be involved in the rematch if it was a "proper fight".
"They asked me to get involved in this fight and I said 'if we're going to do it, we're going to do it properly. Proper training camps, no headguards, no big gloves. If you want to fight, we have a real fight.' These guys went through rigorous training camps, fought in a proper ring with a proper licence," he told GQ Sports.
Hearn's take regarding the dangers of YouTube boxing has proved true in recent months, with several knockouts taking place in bouts between celebrity debutants even with exhibition rulesets. Former NBA star Nicky Young was sent through the ropes earlier this month in his farcical ring debut against music artist Minikon. At the same event, Le'Veon Bell brutally knocked out fellow NFL star Adrian Peterson despite no winner being declared.
