Boxing upstart Jake Paul confirms next opponent
YouTube star-turned-professional prizefighter Jake Paul looks to have secured the sternest test of his boxing career to date after confirming that contracts have been signed for his blockbuster fight with Tyson Fury's younger brother Tommy Fury.
The pair were originally scheduled to fight last December before Fury, 23, pulled out after he suffered a rib injury in advance of the fight. Fury was replaced by former UFC champion Tyron Woodley, whom Paul knocked out in the sixth round of their rematch.
The fight had once again appeared to be in jeopardy after a clearly frustrated Paul took to social media on Wednesday to detail what he said was Fury once again “fumbling the bag" ahead of the contest - though Paul confirmed Thursday afternoon that Fury "grew a set overnight”.
Okay people he grew a set over night. It’s official, Im taking this little Fury’s head off. Amanda Serrano and I dual main-event at the Mecca of boxing.Official press conference and ticket on-sale this Wednesday June 29th at 11AM. #PaulFury@MostVpromotions@ShowtimeBoxingpic.twitter.com/1YKtAHKUh6
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 23, 2022
In a video message explaining why Fury hadn't yet signed the contract, Paul said: “What’s the excuse? ‘Oh I can’t come and I can’t do it because my dad can’t be there with me during the fight.
“Tommy, your dad has been banned from the United States for 15 years. You’ve known this the whole entire time. He’s a criminal. He’s not allowed in. When you fought Anthony Taylor in Cleveland, neither Tyson [Fury] or your dad were there with you in your U.S. debut. Now all of a sudden you need your team with you? That doesn’t make any f***ing sense.
Tommy Fury and boxers like him are the reason this sport started to die. Tommy, you have 24 hours to fix this. pic.twitter.com/JZFh6VAiGo
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 22, 2022
“You’re scared. You claim you’re a professional boxer but you don’t want to make the fight with me? Who you’ve talked so much s*** about? Who you say you will spark? Who you say I’m nothing compared to you? Where’s all that s*** talk now, Tommy?
“You’re a f***ing atypical professional boxer who doesn’t want to actually make this fight f***ing happen. This is the biggest opportunity of your f***ing life and you’re fumbling the f***ing bag once again and I can’t believe how f***ing stupid you are. f***ing idiot.”
The fight is on. August 6th. Forget a team or any other bullshit. I don’t need anybody to help me lay you flat on that canvas. Oh and thanks for finally signing the drug testing… you only agreed to it when you realised the fight was at risk - who needs who 😂 https://t.co/bt6CL24HNh
— Tommy Fury (@tommytntfury) June 22, 2022
It appears that this social media blast did the trick.
In the hours after, Paul issued another tweet - this time poster confirming that the fight is official for August 6 in Madison Square Garden in what he called a dual main event alongside women's boxing icon Amanda Serrano, who will fight Brenda Carabajal.
“Okay people he grew a set over night,” Paul announced. “It’s official, Im taking this little Fury’s head off. Amanda Serrano and I dual main-event at the Mecca of boxing.”
Fury confirmed the fight was on in his own tweet, saying: “The contract has been signed. I don’t need a team to get this job done, now the drug testing has been signed there are no issues. See you at the press conference.”
Both Paul and Fury remain undefeated in their boxing careers, though this is the first time that Jake Paul will take on an opponent with significant boxing experience.
Fury is currently 8-0 in the ring and most recently fought the previously 10-1 Pole Daniel Bocianski whom he defeated on points. Paul is also unbeaten in his career, though his critics say that his record has been carefully stage-managed.
