Barry Hearn ‘blames’ fans for influencer boxing after Jake Paul face-off brawl

Barry Hearn has slammed influencer boxing but admitted the blame lies with the fans amid a brawl breaking out during Jake Paul and Nate Diaz’s fight press conference.

Paul, 26, has been one of the catalysts of influencers' presence in boxing and prepares to take on UFC star Nate Diaz in an eight-round bout on Saturday (August 5) in Dallas, Texas.

During the final press conference, the pair faced off from a distance but never came close to physical contact throughout, but the same couldn’t have been said for their security teams who started a mass brawl on stage.

And speaking to BettingSites.co.uk, Matchroom Sport promoter Hearn hit out at the impact of influencers in boxing following the disreputable scenes during Paul’s press conference, but he admits that the blame doesn’t lie at their door for tarnishing the sport.

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He said: “It leaves me cold really. It’s not for me but that doesn’t mean to say it’s not for another bunch of kids. It comes under that rule; if that’s how you can make a living and you can get away with it then good luck to you.

“It’s not for me to watch but I do know a lot of people who follow it because it’s a young social media market.

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“It may well be that it’s to the detriment of boxing in the long term because sport is about respect and respecting the ability of individuals.

“Boxing has always been held in very high esteem and this may slightly detract from that because it brings in people that think that’s real boxing when of course it’s not.

“I don’t blame them (influencers) for doing it. I blame us for watching it.”

Paul is back in the ring for the first time since February when he was beaten by Tommy Fury via split decision, losing his unbeaten record.

Whilst Diaz will switch the octagon for the ring for the first time in his career as a professional boxer.

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