It’s not fat it’s an energy reserve. Men need stored energy to sustain us in the hunt and during periods of injury.
...and for most it’s stored fuel but they have a bad fuel line.
Exercise increases vascularization and makes the fat more accessible to the body as an energy source. People who only diet and rarely exercise will not get rid of the most stubborn of fat because it is not accessible to them. Extreme diets just cause the body to cannibalize muscle tissue for energy because other energy sources are not available.
No one should ever eat less than their BMR requires or the body will use muscle to sustain itself. All that glorious fat is useless if demand for energy is high but muscle is more readily availble.
This is why people who refuse (or cannot) to exercise WILL regain their weight unless they commit to a life of minimal consumption.