Divisive social media personality and former kickboxer Andrew Tate looks to be set to step back into the ring for the first time in four years.
The four-time world champion hasn’t fought since a one-sided 2020 bout with Cosmin Lingurar. But he has been teasing a move into the world of celebrity boxing throughout his meteoric rise to internet infamy over the past few years.
Tate is one of social media’s best-known and controversial characters, having become ‘Most Googled man in the world’ for a brief period in 2022. His videos are said to have been viewed tens of billions of times.
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Social Knockout confirms ‘the return of the Top G’ in social media post
On Saturday night, Andrew Tate was one of the lead sponsors for the Social Knockout 3 influencer boxing event at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. The show saw the likes of Darren Till and Salt Papi pick up TKO victories and also featured the debut of Abdu Rozik.
However, he was unable to attend the event as he awaits trial on serious criminal charges. He has been under arrest since the end of 2022, and spent three months in a Romanian detention centre with his brother Tristan.
Days before Saturday’s boxing event, a court ruled that he and his brother, also a kickboxing champion, may travel within the European Union without restriction. However, despite boasts of a ‘world tour’ to promote his new cryptocurrency, he must stay in the EU and may not yet travel to the UAE or the UK.
He did, however, appear in a video message played at the arena for the live crowd and later shared to social media.
Promoters TK Fight Night shared the video with a caption that read: “Thanks to the Top G & Cobratate.com for all their support & sponsorship.
“Social Knockout 4 will be the return of the Top G himself…. You think this event went viral? Just wait for the next!”
Andrew Tate insists he has more fight in him in new video message
In the video message, Tate teased a potential ring return. He noted that he still has “a few moves” as he apologised to the crowd for not being there in person, and even showed off examples of his movement while giving his speech
“My name is Andrew Tate, the Top G and you’ve probably realized by now that the show is sponsored by Cobratate.com,” he said, before plugging his website which features a self-help and money making course.
“Unfortunately I cannot be at the event in person, I am still being constrained by the system but I am watching remotely from here in Bucharest, Romania and the show looks fantastic.
“I want to give a huge congratulations to Tam Khan [promoter] and I want to wish a lot of luck to all of the fighters who are fighting tonight, give it your all. I’m thinking of course you’re going to see me at a future Social Knockout event.
“But do you want to see me in the crowd or do you want to see me in the ring to see what moves I have left? I’m not too old yet, they haven’t damaged me that much yet, I’ve got a few moves left so stay tuned.
“Once again, congratulations to everybody and I can’t wait to be there in person.”
Andrew Tate fight experience ahead of potential ring return
Andrew Tate was a multiple-time world champion kickboxer before finding viral fame on social media.
He held world titles in two weight classes under the ISKA banner, as well as winning an Enfusion title and an It’s Showtime belt.
He is believed to hold a kickboxing record of 76-9, although due to the poor record-keeping for the sport of the regions British and European scenes, that has been disputed.
He has one recorded professional MMA fight which he won by knockout in 2010 against Shane Kavanagh.
Tate’s most notable win was an amateur MMA victory over Luke Barnatt, who went on to enter The Ultimate Fighter and compete in the UFC.
A pre-fame forum post from his coach Amir Subasic claimed his MMA record in November of 2010, after the Kavanagh fight, to be 4-2.