Carl Frampton has given his opinion on the ever increasing prominence of “influencer boxing.”
Speaking on William Hill’s Stripped podcast, Frampton revealed that, whilst his opinion on the trend has mellowed somewhat, seeing YouTubers calling out elite boxers for fights is where he draws the line.
“I don’t enjoy watching them. I hated it at the start – like really hated the whole YouTube scene.”
“Now I understand what’s happening and I understand what they’re doing. But the thing that annoys me the most is when these YouTube guys start talking about how they want to fight Canelo and other top guys. Fight other guys on your level, by all means, and make loads of money doing it. But know your limit.”
Boxing fans will be all too aware of the increased frequency of YouTuber boxing events, with many voicing criticism the way of DAZN and their Misfit Boxing Series, which is ran alongside Wasserman and broadcasts influencer fights.
Jake Paul has been arguably the most vocal YouTuber in his callouts of professionals and has repeatedly stated he would beat pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez if the two were to meet in the ring.
Many fans fear the growth of influencer boxing will begin to hamper the professional side of the sport, which is already suffering from a seeming inability to put together the biggest fights in the sport. In contrast, others seem to be enjoying this new side of boxing.
The safety aspect of such events has also come under fire, as raw novices with next to zero in ring experience are fighting with no head guards and, in some cases, 10oz gloves on.
However, influencer boxing has proved extremely lucrative and is unlikely to go anywhere any time soon.