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Derry Mathews gets it spot on regarding pro licensing YouTubers

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  • 3 min read

Former interim world lightweight title holder and WBO title challenger Derry Mathews wants commissions to stop handing out licenses to YouTubers.

After the latest absurd event topped by Floyd Mayweather, Mathews spoke out in a move most true boxing fans would agree with.

Derry Mathews

Mathews said: “Pro boxing is on its a***. Stop giving every Tom, dick, and Harry a pro license. Stop the YouTubers and pay more attention to your local fighters,

“Liverpool fight fans would love area title fights in Everton Park Sports Centre.”

He added after seeing a comical call-out involving Tommy Fury: “Stop ruining our sport.”

Those sentiments would get echoed by many people involved in the boxing community. A cancer is raging through the sport we adore catering only to fans of YouTube.

A much-loved part of the British boxing boom between 2007 and 2014, Mathews fought in the “Golden Boy” moniker before eventually becoming “Dirty Derry.”

Known for wanting to fight with anyone and everyone, Mathews delved into helping the next generation through his own Derry Mathews Boxing Academy after retirement.

Still training fighters and the public from the early morning hours, Mathews has boxing in his blood, and his opinion is valued.

YouTubers given the platform afforded to pros

Whether interest in these events will eventually wane is up for debate. That won’t change until platforms such as Showtime, FITE, and DAZN stop giving the organizers the time of day.

It’s a way to make a fast buck off the lack of actual knowledge of the new influx of ‘fans’ who don’t seem to understand that they pay money for a substandard product.

They don’t seem to care. They seem happy as long as they see whoever they watched playing video games that day get inside the ropes to throw windmills.

White Collar Boxing has more skill than some of the shows on offer, and streaming services have the gall to charge $40 to $75 per show.

Derry is not the only boxer or retired fighter to hold this view. Boxing should be a pure sport. It’s no coincidence that it’s never struggled so severely as the YouTube era began.

Boxing will die unless fans take a stand and ignore these YouTuber shows in the future. YouTube Boxing should be on YouTube.

It, indeed, shouldn’t get sanctioned as a professional bout.

The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.

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