Tony Bellew is adamant that he would knock Jake Paul out in emphatic fashion if they ever step into the ring together. Paul has a history of facing retired fighters rather than current professionals, with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson his next opponent.
A number of former boxers, including Carl Froch and Shannon Briggs, have already declared an interest in facing Paul. Bellew, who held the WBC cruiserweight world title between 2016 and 2017, is also in the queue.
The 41-year-old believes he would inflict the first knockout defeat of Paul’s career, but is unsure if the YouTube star would be brave enough to accept the challenge.
“He would never fight me,” Bellew told Express Sport as an ambassador for the Men on a Mission campaign, raising awareness for mental health and unhealthy drinking patterns in men aged over 50.
“It would last as long as I wanted it to last. I would say within the first round. It would only last probably a couple of minutes into the first round because for the first minute I would be laughing my t**s off. I’d let one left hook go and put him to sleep.
“Disney Boy could not do anything to me. Stick to Disney. I give him all the credit in the world for raising the profile of boxing, and I don’t say that lightly. He has. He’s brought huge numbers into amateur boxing gyms with the audience that follows him.
“When you’re talking about someone like me, I’m a real world champion. I’ve won British, Commonwealth and European titles. I’ve fought all around the world. I’ve represented my country around the world. He’s come from the Disney Channel!
“There is no more I could say. He looks a bit heavy-handed and he’s got the wrestling background behind him, but this is professional boxing you’re talking about. He hasn’t even been in an amateur circuit.
“There are good amateur boxers who would eat him alive. Try going down that route first, legitimise yourself, and stop picking on granddads.”
Bellew is working with DRINKiQ and Men’s Sheds to raise awareness of mental health and alcohol issues concerning older men, having been inspired to speak up about his own experiences.
“I’m portrayed as this big hard case who has no emotions and doesn’t speak, but it’s quite the opposite,” he explained.
“I don’t really speak about my issues and problems as much as I should, but I’m trying. Things like that can get the message out there. We’re going through an epidemic. I don’t really want to use the word, but we are going through a suicide epidemic.
“It can’t solve every problem, but talking can solve most of them. There’s nothing weak about explaining your issues and your problems. We’ve got to get away from that. That’s my personal opinion. Men need to talk.”
