Vitor Belfort, who once compared himself to Muhammad Ali, is back to remind everyone what a legend he is.
Former UFC champion Tyron Woodley dropped a split-decision to social media influencer Jake Paul in their celebrity boxing match last weekend on Showtime pay-per-view (PPV), an eight-round cruiserweight affair that pushed Paul to 4-0 in the “sweet science.”
That outcome did not come as much of a surprise to former UFC middleweight Vitor Belfort, who previously called “The Chosen One” the “worst representation” of MMA, a shopworn fighter who would likely get knocked out by “The Phenom’s” teenage daughter.
“I told you I thought that [Woodley] was going to have trouble beating the kid, because he’s literally becoming a fighter,” Belfort told The MMA Hour. “But his level is very low compared to a guy like myself and Oscar. We’re in the next level.”
I guess now would be a good time to mention that Belfort was knocked out in his final fight under the UFC banner and went 2-4 (1 NC) after getting busted for testosterone back in 2014. As for De La Hoya, his boxing career ended with a loss to Manny Pacquiao more than a decade ago and “The Golden Boy” has since bounced in and out of rehab for substance abuse.
“It’s like comparing a wine that you can buy in Target,” Belfort continued. “I’m being honest. I respect both of the guys. They did great, they made a lot of money. But at the end of the day, me and Oscar’s a legendary fight, it’s a legacy fight, it’s a generation fight. It’s the guys that are literally building a sport.”
Prior to scoring a payday against the aging “Golden Boy,” the 44 year-old Belfort was booked to compete against an Instagram “star” called “The Real Tarzann,” which makes his Woodley-Paul critique all the more peculiar.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot respect a YouTuber,” Belfort said. “He’s a Disney channel type of thing and [Woodley] doesn’t have hands. He doesn’t know how to box. Oscar is fighting a real fighter like myself. My respect comes not if you’re a winner or a loser – it’s who you’re competing against.”
Belfort boxes De La Hoya on Sept. 11 in Los Angeles.