Tommy Fury defeated Jake Paul in their highly anticipated boxing match on Saturday night, winning a split decision in a grueling eight-round cruiserweight bout.
Paul, who had previously fought mixed martial artists and a fellow YouTuber in boxing bouts generating social media attention, faced his first actual professional boxer, Fury. Although Paul knocked Fury down in the final round with a left hand, Fury controlled much of the fight and landed more significant shots with his consistent jab.
The judges’ scorecards read 76-73 in Fury’s favor on two of the cards while the third judge favored Paul with a score of 75-74.
Paul on a Humbling Experience
Following the fight, Paul stated that he sees the experience as a humbling one and will come back. Fury, on the other hand, called the fight his “destiny” and had trained hard for it, proving to be too much for Paul to handle.
Fury’s Undefeated Record
Fury is more well-known as a celebrity sibling and reality TV star than as a boxer. Before the fight, his undefeated record was built against opponents with a combined record of 24-176-5, making for a relatively even matchup with Paul.
The two fighters had good moments in the first four rounds, but Fury’s consistent jab allowed him to land more significant shots. Paul lost a point for pushing down on Fury’s head in a clinch, while Fury lost a point for excessive clinching.
Fury had a strong seventh round despite a cut near his left eye, but Paul knocked Fury down in the final round with a perfectly timed left that wobbled Fury. Fury quickly bounced back up, however, and finished the fight strong.
Previous Scheduled Bouts
Fury and Paul were scheduled to fight two times before, but Fury was unavailable due to injury and travel restrictions. The postponements led to taunting between the fighters, and the buildup to the fight was contentious.
The fight was a social media event, and Saudi Arabia underwrote it. The crowd included celebrities like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin Hart, as well as boxers like Mike Tyson and Deontay Wilder. Tyson Fury, Tommy Fury’s older brother and a world heavyweight champion, was present and publicly urged his younger brother to knock out Paul.
Fury’s Future in Boxing
Fury’s win over Paul could propel him further into the boxing world. While Fury may have started as a celebrity sibling, he proved himself to be a skilled and determined fighter in his victory over Paul.
Overall, Fury vs. Paul fight was an entertaining and hard-fought battle between two fighters from vastly different backgrounds. The buildup to the event was intense, and the fight itself lived up to the hype. While the outcome may not have been what some fans were expecting, it was undoubtedly an exciting moment for the sport of boxing. As for Paul, he will need to regroup and decide on his next steps in the sport. And for Fury, the future looks bright as he continues to pursue his dreams of becoming a world champion boxer.