Japanese competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi says he has witnessed longtime rival Joey Chestnut cheat during competitions.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Kobayashi alluded to Major League Eating helping Chestnut's record-breaking numbers and questioned whether the wieners served at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest have remained the same size over the years.
"I'm sure that Chestnut is really working hard at eating as much as he can. I'm sure. And that's fine, I don't really care what those numbers are, but he does have a contract with MLE and they do want the numbers to go up," Kobayashi said through a translator. "... If people want to believe those numbers, people will, and if they don't, they won't."
Kobayashi was then asked about cheating allegations that have been made against Chestnut.
"I've personally, definitely witnessed some cheating, yes," he said. "One example, we were eating for a pizza P'Zone competition years ago and he was throwing the hardest part to eat - the crust - into the box the whole time."
Chestnut ate 71 hot dogs at this year's competition to secure his 12th Nathan's title and fourth straight. Kobayashi hasn't competed at the event since 2009.
