UFC legend Vitor Belfort sounds off on influencers venturing into boxing: "Jake Paul is a fighter?"

Vitor Belfort recently slammed the rising trend of influencers/content creators venturing into boxing and singled out Jake Paul as an example. The UFC icon notably made it clear that he didn't consider Paul to be a "real fighter" at all.

Paul is undoubtedly among the most controversial personalities in boxing today. While many questioned his dedication to the sport after his professional debut in January 2020, the former Disney star has racked up an impressive 12-1 record with wins over high-profile opponents like Mike Tyson, Nate Diaz, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Mike Perry.

Paul's making waves in the boxing world has led to many other online content creators venturing into boxing. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Belfort voiced his disapproval of the same and said:

"It is very sad that athletes are losing their market for people that just go naked or b*tt-naked or do funny stuff. Now brands, instead of putting their money into athletes, they put it on influencers who have more followers... Look at Jake Paul as an example. Jake Paul is a fighter? I say, 'What?' I understand who he is now, but he create a whole different element. He is not a real fighter. I have respect for what he did, but he is not. He pick his opponents. He curated his career. People think this is real boxing."

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When Vitor Belfort claimed Jake Paul had earned his "respect"

In November 2022, Vitor Belfort lauded Jake Paul's journey from being a high-profile social media star to becoming one of the biggest draws in boxing. Belfort admitted that while he was critical of Paul's antics, he heaped praise on the former Disney star for finding success in the sport.

In an interview with Seconds Out, Belfort reacted to Paul's boxing win over Anderson Silva in October 2022 and said:

"It takes courage, man. I know Jake. People, even myself, have criticized him but he's earning his respect. He's training and putting himself there. He's doing some business, and he's being successful. I'm very happy to see a YouTuber come from Disney world and literally going to the fight world and boxing world...It's admirable for someone to have that journey...He's got my respect for sure."

Catch Vitor Belfort's comments below (5:57):

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Edited by Nishant Zende.