Tony Bellew has warned Jake Paul not to "wake the animal" and has teased a comeback to the ring after a fight call-out by the YouTube star.
Paul is planning a return to the boxing ring in August this year and is yet to decide on an opponent having called out Tommy Fury and UFC legends Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping.
Bellew has previously moved to dismiss Paul's boxing career on social media, but Paul recently claimed he didn't know who the former world champion was.
Bellew has boasted of his successful WBC title defence against Paul's trainer BJ Flores after Paul claimed he was mostly famous for his appearance in boxing movie Creed. He tweeted : "What the f*** is going on? I have social media going on and all kinds going on to me about Jake Paul?
"Yes I’ve seen a video because 20 people have sent me it! Madness! My only response to it is, my claim to fame isn’t Creed son! It’s winning the WBC belt. Oh and smashing your coach too.
"Just in case you needed to know what I look like Jake Paul this is me! The other is how your 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."
Bellew has not fought since being defeated by former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk before announcing his retirement in the ring shortly afterwards. The Merseyside star has also defeated the likes of David Haye and Ilunga Makabu during his successful career.
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Hearn proposed a potential meeting during the press conference for Katie Taylor's clash with Amanda Serrano, with Paul then proceeding to bring up his role in Creed. Bellew has frequently suggested that he would not return to the ring unless a lucrative financial opportunity is too good to turn down.
However, Paul seemed largely uninterested asking the promoter "who is he?" Hearn responded by confirming he was a former world champion and had starred alongside Michael B Jordan in Creed, Paul then fired back: "That's his claim to fame? He was in Creed? He was in Creed, he was in the back, the janitor in the background. I think I've heard that name, I couldn't put a face to it, though. I know who Usyk is. I wasn't asked about Usyk, I was asked about Bellew."
The viral clip provoked a rivalry between the pair with Bellew having previously told the YouTube star to fight a 'real' boxer. Hearn previously claimed he would love to see Bellew "chin" Paul. "I’d love to promote it. Anytime you can promote a fight where you can see Jake Paul get chinned would be exciting," he told DAZN.
“Jake Paul just rubs everyone up the wrong way, but I do like what he’s doing. Hopefully, they can bump into each other, and we can see what happens.”
