Piers Morgan hits back at Louis Theroux’s claim he could beat him in boxing match: ‘Puny wastrel’

Louis Theroux and Piers Morgan are embroiled in a public war of words after the documentary maker predicted he’d be able to beat Morgan in a fight.

The intrepid journalist kicked off the verbal sparring in a new episode of his BBC conversation series, Louis Theroux Interviews.

The first guest of season two was heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua. Ahead of the episode airing earlier this week, a clip of Theroux and Joshua in the boxing ring was shared on social media.

During their conversation, the unlikely twosome talk about whether the slender Theroux could successfully battle the more muscular Joshua. After joking that their fight would bring good publicity to Joshua, the host then lands on an idea he deems more suitable.

“Piers Morgan, that’s a better match-up,” Theroux remarked. “Number one, he’s very famous and I think I could take him.”

On Wednesday (8 November), TalkTV host Morgan responded to the clip and expressed his doubts that Theroux would emerge from a fight with him the victor.

“Have you lost your marbles, @louistheroux? I’d destroy you in 30 seconds, you puny wastrel,” he wrote on X/Twitter, adding two laughing emojis.

On Thursday (9 November), Theroux replied to Morgan’s comment, and made it clear that he has no plans of backing down from their hypothetical match.

“I don’t think you’ve got the cardio fitness, Piers, TBF [to be fair],” he began his taunt. “You’d gas out and after that I’d just be playing music on your chin like a boxing Beethoven.”

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Then, the former Good Morning Britain anchor replied with a video of him in the boxing ring with Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao in 2011.

“Watch this, then see how cocky you’re feeling Big Guy,” Morgan captioned the 12-year-old clip.

The broadcasters’ feisty exchange has entertained social media onlookers, with many expressing their hopes that the battle may actually take place in the future.

“I’d pay to watch it! Fight of the century,” one fan wrote, while another chimed in: “I’ve never paid for a [pay-per-view] fight in my life but I would definitely sign up for this.”

Previously, Theroux made other speculations about famous figures he hopes to interact with in the future, and named the divisive American comic Dave Chappelle as someone on his interview hitlist.

“Dave Chappelle would be a big get,” Theroux told Clara Amfo at the press launch for Louis Theroux Interviews. “Bit controversial, what do you think?”

Louis Theroux Interviews series two continues on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two on Tuesday 14 November at 9pm.