Tony Bellew crashed the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson press conference and was thrown out by security.
The former WBC cruiserweight world champion caused a stir on Wednesday night as he popped up during the fight week media events in Texas ahead of Friday’s controversial clash.
In a publicity stunt for a betting company, Bellew spoke up with his own microphone, flanked by a ‘107-year-old’ man called Norman.
Interrupting proceedings with a megaphone and standing next to an elderly man dressed in a boxing robe, Bellew bellowed: “I’ve got your next opponent here, Jake.
“This guy’s got two hips so he is ready for you, Jake. He’s a great grandfather and he’s ready for you.
“He’s 107, a great-grandfather. Come on Jake, give this fella a chance.”
Host Ariel Helwani and the fighters seemingly couldn’t make out what he was saying and appeared confused as Bellew was subsequently led away by security along with the elderly man.
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Explaning his actions afterwards, Bellew said. “Seeing that Jake Paul is fighting a grandfather in my icon and hero Mike Tyson, I thought, ‘He’s going to lose to a grandfather.’
“If he does, which hopefully he does, then I thought, ‘For his a comeback fight, if that’s the demographic he’s going on, why not fight a great-grandfather, fight Norman.’
“Norman’s the champion of the care homes, he’s 107 years old, he’s got two new hips, he’s got about 20 great-grandchildren. So I just thought, give Norman the chance.”
While Bellew’s campaign for Paul’s next foe was obviously unsuccessful, he did manage to successfully avoid further trouble with the security who threw him out.
“They were all big boys and they came and stood around me,” he recalled.
“I said, ‘Just don’t touch me, I’m going to walk quite happily boys, I’m going to walk, but just don’t put your hands on me, there’s no need to.’
“So one of them gave me a little push and I said, ‘I’m warning you mate, please don’t put your hands on me, I’m walking, I’m going where you want me to go.’
“He said, ‘Okay.’ So then we walked a good 150m-200m away and just as 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 about 6ft 8ins. I said, ‘Do you understand what I would do to you?’
“Then his other mate was like, ‘Oh, we’re 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 with the gun come over to me and said, ‘You’re a fighter aren’t you? I can tell by how calm you was around them big boys.
“I said, ‘I’m not really bothered by them, they don’t intimidate me.’
“Muscles, size, shape, no man’s going to intimidate me. The most frightening thing was the firearm on his waist and I didn’t want no problem, but he was really nice, shook hands and let me go.
“Listen I’m not here for trouble, I’m here to point out the point of Jake Paul is fighting a grandfather on Friday night.”
Asked if he’s really here seeking a comeback payday for himself, Bellew insisted: “No, it’s not about Tony Bellew.
“He’s never going to come near me, mate. I’ve got a pulse, he’s trying to find guys who are grandads, who are of that demographic.
“It’s not me. He couldn’t take the wind off my fart, never mind a punch.”
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