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Home » Juan Manuel Marquez: YouTubers would get killed vs real boxers

Juan Manuel Marquez: YouTubers would get killed vs real boxers

Mexican boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez snapped at the YouTube generation of boxers attempting to capitalize on Pay Per View sales.

Marquez, who famously knocked out Manny Pacquiao in 2012, was asked about his opinion on YouTubers and non-boxers getting inside the ropes.

Juan Manuel Marquez

“Dinamita” held nothing back in his response to ESPN.

“It’s damaging to boxing. It’s damaging to boxing. I remember when a trainer asked someone: ‘Would you like your son to be a boxer?’

“The answer was: ‘no,’ it is a very difficult sport. It’s very dangerous. I would like him to study.’ Now everyone wants to be a boxer,” pointed out Marquez.

The former welterweight champ added that the likes of Jake Paul handpicking easy fights was not the way to entertain the masses.

YouTubers

“In my point of view, without fear of being wrong. It’s a great lack of respect for boxing,” he said.

“Boxing should be taken seriously. The fighter trains and prepares. He leaves everything in the ring.

“It doesn’t seem fair to me that a ‘YouTuber’ is in the ring. Or even a former basketball or NFL player.

“Boxing deserves respect. The respect for boxing has been lost,” added Marquez.

Since Floyd Mayweather brought Conor McGregor over from MMA in 2017, the event spawned several cross-code and YouTube attempts at the sport.

Due to the time involved, it’s not yet known how some of these pretend boxing careers will end. We know tragedy is only one punch away.

Opinions

Most boxers are against vloggers competing in the sport. However, there are a couple of anomalies. Ex-cruiserweight Steve Cunningham previously championed a YouTuber after sparring.

“I sparred with [said YouTuber] for two weeks last month. I immediately noticed he’s better than people think,” said Cunningham.

“He’s not just a “YouTuber.” He’s putting in the work to be better. Also, he has a solid team around him that pushes him.

“People need to remember boxing is the entertainment biz.”

However, former middleweight contender Tureano Johnson had a different standpoint.

“It’s people like this what is wrong with boxing,” said Johnson. “Those YouTubers can’t be called boxers.

“Let them fight a real boxer, and they would get killed. You think boxing is a game. You guys are just a bunch of con artists.”

The proof is in the pudding. But we will never know how bad it will end until it does.

The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay.

WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.