Supporters of the YouTube boxing phenomenon say it brings new, younger, fresher eyes to the sport. It can only be a good thing to grow boxing’s appeal, they argue.
“YouTube boxing is an interesting one,” Hearn says. “I did Logan Paul against KSI, I saw the numbers first-hand.
“But I struggle with it because I’m probably a more old-fashioned, hardcore boxing fan and it wasn’t for me.
“It doesn’t mean it doesn’t create interest. It’s entertainment. But I don’t even look at YouTube boxing as boxing, I just look at it as an entertainment format.”
Fury, 23, fought a handful of amateur bouts, but most of his fame comes from his stint on dating show Love Island. As a professional he has won all eight fights, albeit his opponents have a combined record of 24 wins, 176 losses and five draws.
Paul, 26, has won all six of his professional bouts, but his opponents include a fellow YouTuber, a former NBA basketballer and ex-MMA qfighters.
To promote their upcoming fight, Paul and Fury clashed in the ring before the world-title light-heavyweight bout between Anthony Yarde and Artur Beterbiev last month.
Beterbiev, one of the best in the world, waited patiently in his dressing room as a topless Fury went head-to-head with Paul.
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It was quite the visual representation of how boxing has evolved in recent times, and posed the question of whether it is acceptable for a pound-for-pound star to wait for his title defence while two novices hype up their bout?
Warren defends the decision, describing it as a perfect opportunity to promote Paul-Fury to a global audience, while Frampton calls it “a bit cringe”.
Hearn was not a fan either, but does believe fighters can learn a great deal from the rise of entertainment boxing, particularly on how to build a profile and engage with fans.
In an age where social media fanbase often dictates your level of celebrity, Paul has 63.9 million followers and subscribers combined across YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
