Tony Bellew says YouTube fights will damage boxing as he slams "clowns making a few quid"

Exhibition fights in boxing are a growing phenomenon, but Tony Bellew certainly isn't a fan.

YouTubers like Jake and Logan Paul have become prominent names in the sport by taking on celebrities and former martial arts stars for huge sums of money, but their involvement has prompted a scathing rant from the former world cruiserweight champion.

Bellew, 38, has made no secret of his disdain for bouts which he feels put inexperienced fighters at risk, and has now cemented his views by labelling bouts involving YouTubers "organised chaos" and lamenting "clowns making a few quid'."

"I think it's going to be all good until someone gets hurts and then it's going to come really bad on professional boxing," he told the Daily Mail.

Tony Bellew has slammed the influx of Youtube fights within boxing (Getty Images)

"People are making money so it will continue, but stop attaching this to professional boxing, this is just chaos in an exhibition.

"Professional boxing is under certain rules and guidelines with huge protections for athletes, these guys are clowns making a few quid.

"When someone does get hurt, I don't want it to be a backlash on boxing. This is organised chaos."

Bellew's comments come on the same weekend his former rival, David Haye, makes his return to the ring to take on Joe Fournier in Florida.

However, the 40-year old's bout is classed as a professional fight and will count on his pro win-loss record

Bellew, who ended Haye's first comeback from retirement by beating him twice, thereby ending a bitter feud between the pair, labelled him "mad" and claimed his return was motivated by money.

"He'll just keep coming up when they want to give him the air time and good luck to him. He's probably going to render Joe Fournier unconscious with an upper cut.

Bellew has labelled the Youtube fights as "organised chaos" (Getty Images)

"I think he's mad, it's stupid what he's doing but I do understand it. It is huge money to be involved. He's still going to be a very powerful individual, if he hits you with that punch, it's night night."

Bellew himself has stayed true to his word so far, vowing he would never return to the ring following his defeat to Alexander Usyk in November 2018.