Former heavyweight boxer Malik Scott has cautioned that he and the 'obnoxious' Jamie Carragher will have a 'serious issue' if he upsets his partner Kate Abdo again after their uncomfortable on-air exchange earlier this month. Jamie Carragher will have a 'serious problem' if he upsets his partner Kate Abdo again after their awkward on-air exchange earlier this month.
During CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League match between Arsenal and Porto, the Liverpool legend shocked viewers with a crude joke at Abdo’s expense on live television.
Carragher, wearing an Arsenal shirt in one segment, told Abdo and fellow pundit Thierry Henry they would have to wear the shirt next, with Abdo declaring she is ‘loyal to Manchester United thank you very much’.
Carragher then remarked ‘not to Malik’ – a comment that stunned and silenced his co-stars.
The British presenter recently confirmed she is in a relationship with retired boxer Scott, the current trainer of former world champion Deontay Wilder.
Abdo drew a line under the incident in an impressive speech at the start of a CBS broadcast the following day, suggesting Carragher had gone ‘too far’ but had also apologised.
Scott, who retired from the ring in 2016, has now hit back at Carragher’s comments. The American, who says he plans to marry Abdo, says the comments ‘irritated’ his partner, warning that if it happens again, he will ‘show up in a physical manner so we can talk like men’.
‘It’s not that she’s one of the best sports broadcasters, she’s one of the best human beings I’ve come across in this life,’ Scott told Lord Ping.
‘I’m very much in love with her and I plan on marrying her, so the thing that happened with Jamie, it’s a part of the job, but it’s not the first time he’s said something out the way like that, but it’s the first time he said something in reference to possibly disturbing a household or disturbing a couples chemistry.
‘It was a very minute thing, but her being irritated by it a little bit is what really got to me. Him just saying it and being that guy who always makes those picking at you jokes wasn’t really a big deal to me at all. It’s only a big deal if Kate is upset. If Kate gets upset then it’s a really big deal to me and I’ll give him a call and if he doesn’t pick up my call, then I’ll show up in a physical manner so we can talk like men, so that’s not something you should continue to do.
‘But I think Jamie apologised, not just to Kate but to the team, and one thing you can’t do is knock a man who admits he was wrong. In that regard I have high respect for him.’
He continued: ‘As long as Kate is happy, I have no problem. Now if he makes Kate upset then I have a serious problem and he’ll get a call from me, and if he doesn’t pick up my call I’ll show up in a physical manner for him.’
Scott acknowledged the ‘banter’ between Abdo, Carragher and fellow hosts Henry and Micah Richards is part of the job and is what makes CBS’s Champions League coverage so unique.
Scott expressed his respect for Carragher for admitting his mistake and apologizing, but he warned that if Carragher hadn't apologized, he would have taken strong action to address the disrespect and disruption caused.
Scott described Jamie Carragher's behavior as sometimes coming across as obnoxious and not reading the room well. He mentioned that at times it can work as a good joke, but in this instance, it didn't work and led to irritation.
Scott highlighted that Kate engages in banter with her male colleagues on the show and the chemistry they share contributes to the show's success, alongside the coverage of the sport.
Scott pointed out that when someone disrupts the chemistry by making a disrespectful joke about a woman and her relationship, it can be seen as rude, obnoxious, and disrespectful to the woman and her partner.
Scott mentioned that although Kate was irritated by Jamie's joke, he acknowledged the importance of Carragher apologizing. He explained that not apologizing and showing no remorse would have been a significant problem for him.
