Tony Bellew threatened to ‘annihilate’ three policemen after being thrown out of the final press conference ahead of Jake Paul’s fight against Mike Tyson.
Bellew stole the show by interrupting the press conference as part of a stunt orchestrated by Paddy Power. He was accompanied by a pensioner dressed in a robe and wearing boxing gloves, who Bellew introduced as Paul’s next opponent.
As the older gentleman began shadowboxing next to him, Bellew said: “Jake Paul, the biggest clown within boxing. If Mike lets you survive on Saturday night, then I’ve got your next opponent here, Jake.”
Bellew was promptly thrown out of the press conference and nearly got into a scuffle with three police officers, with the former cruiserweight world champion threatening to knock them out.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he explained: “They were all big boys. One gave me a little push and I said: ‘Just don’t touch me, I’m going to walk quite happily boys, but just don’t put your hands on me’. He said, ‘Okay’.
“When we got to the policeman with the gun in his waist, the guy gave me a little shove in the back. And I said: ‘You’re an absolute coward’. He must have been six foot and eight inches. I said: ‘Do you understand what I would do to you?’.
“His mate was like, ‘All talk’. I said: ‘It’s not a talk, it’s a promise. I would annihilate three of you at once. Now, please don’t do it’.
“The policeman said: ‘You’re a fighter, aren’t you? I can tell by how calm you were around those big boys’. I said: ‘I’m not really bothered by them, they don’t intimidate me’.”
It remains to be seen if Bellew will be in attendance to watch Paul face Tyson, who is taking part in his first officially sanctioned bout since 2005. Around 70,000 fans are expected to be in the crowd for the fight, which will be streamed live on Netflix.
The event has been widely criticised by boxing purists, who are unhappy that the result will stand on Tyson’s professional record. Eddie Hearn has already confirmed that he plans to leave the arena before the main event, which he has no interest in watching.
The highlight of the undercard will see Katie Taylor face Amanda Serrano for the second time, having won their first fight via split decision two years ago.
