After hanging out with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, it was only a matter of time before Justin Bieber decided to step into the ring.
The pop music star, who turned 18 this month, was featured in a photo shoot for Complex Magazine’s 10th Anniversary issue. Fashion photographer Tony Kelly was the man behind the camera during the shoot, which included a bloodied up Bieber duking it out in the boxing ring.
The video above is a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot.
“There’s no point in doing this if I’m not going to be the best,” Bieber told Complex. “I give up a personal life. I give up my friends and family to pursue what I love and to make my fans happy. Why would I give up so much to be just another singer.”
Bieber’s love for MMA has been well-documented. Outside of making appearances at UFC events, the teenage star invited Silva to dance onstage with him at a concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in October 2011.
Despite being a singer, Bieber comes from a relatively athletic background.
Growing up, he played basketball, hockey and soccer. In the 2011 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, Bieber walked away with the most valuable player award after netting eight points, four assists and two rebounds.
How would an actual combat situation play out for “Biebs?”
Jeremy Bieber, Justin’s father, is actually a former Muay Thai fighter and avid MMA fan. Who knows? Maybe pops has taught his son a thing or two about how to handle himself in the ring.
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