Tony Bellew has teased a possible comeback and warned Youtuber Jake Paul not to wake the “animal” after Eddie Hearn described a bout between the pair as a “massive fight”.
The former World champion and Everton fan Bellew has been retired since 2018 after losing to future Anthony Joshua opponent Oleksandr Usyk in his bid to become undisputed cruiserweight champion. He has also previously criticised Paul’s role in the sport in his work as a boxing analyst.
However, when Eddie Hearn and Jake Paul were interviewed earlier this week, Bellew was suggested as a possible opponent for the fledgling professional boxer. Paul looked unsure when the question was raised, telling IFL TV: “Who is he? Not sure who he is”, which provoked a reaction from Bellew on social media.
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The 39-year-old took to Twitter on Friday night to acknowledge the viral clip and revelled in his WBC title defence against Paul’s trainer BJ Flores. He said: “WTF is going on? I’ve social media on and all kinds going on to me about Jake Paul? Yes I’ve seen a video cos 20 people have wats app’d me it! Madness!
“My only response to it is.. my claim to fame isn’t creed son! It’s winning the @WBCBoxing belt! Oh and smashing your coach (too).”
In a follow-up post, Bellew added: “Just in case you needed to know what I look like @jakepaul this is me! The other is how ya coach got to know me! Creed was Pretty Ricky Conlan! What this is Tony BELLEW! Do not wake the f****** animal up that’s been dead for years..”
Both Eddie Hearn and Jake Paul were interviewed as promoters of a fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden this weekend. In his initial response to the idea of a meeting between the two, Hearn said: “Now, that’s a massive fight. Massive fight. And he’s retired, he’s old, he's a former world champion.”
After the Youtuber claimed he did not know who Bellew was, Hearn explained that he was a former world champion that had appeared in the film Creed, to which Paul joked: “That’s his claim to fame? He was in Creed, he was a janitor in the background of Creed. I think I’ve heard that name but I couldn’t put a face to it.”
Though Bellew’s former promoter was quick to come to his defence. “His claim to fame was that he won the world cruiserweight championship at Goodison Park,” Hearn said, referencing Bellew’s victory over Ilunga Makabu.
Paul has earned a 4-0 record as a professional boxer, but the 25-year-old is yet to face an opponent that has specialised in the sport. His last win came over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in December.
