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Tommy Fury defeats Jake Paul via split decision and sheds tears of joy in Saudi Arabia…even though Brit was DOWN in the final round as both fighters had points deducted in a rudimentary contest.
- Tommy Fury cried in the ring after victory was announced in Saudi Arabia
- Paul couldn’t handle Fury’s boxing skills, but the promised KO never came
- Jake Paul suggests he will invoke the rematch clause for a second fight
Tommy Fury defeated Jake Paul by split decision in Saudi Arabia, but it was not without drama and controversy.
Fury was the rightful winner in the end, with the judges scoring the fight 76-73, 76-73, 74-75 in his favor, but with a points deduction and a knockdown against his name, it was far from straightforward.
This feud between the former British Love Island contestant and an American who found fame via YouTube was the result of more than two years of social media warfare that culminated in a showdown only on the third question.
Fury had to pull out of both previously staged contests and was bombarded with claims that he was afraid to fight the seemingly less decorated boxer in Paul.
The 23-year-old has always maintained that he had to withdraw from his appointments with Paul for legitimate injuries and visa-related reasons. Not surprisingly, after finally being able to prove himself right, the Mancunian was moved to tears when the victor was announced to him.
In the fight, TNT appeared as the most elegant and composed fighter from the first round. He had a clear style that relied on his left jab which Paul really struggled to develop.
Tommy Fury was in tears after being proven right in his biggest fight against Jake Paul
Paul has power and that seemed to get Fury’s respect. The first two rounds were pretty easy for Fury as he pounded his way out of Paul’s sweet spot.
Paul failed to land his overhand, but in the third round he enjoyed more success when he stopped trying to knock Fury out as promised and tried to box him.
In the fifth round, Paul had a point deducted for striking Fury in the back of the head. Trailing 3-1 on most scorecards, the YouTube star needed nothing less than a knockout from then on.
Paul rarely had the drive for the fight. He simply wanted to land his favorite right hand and Fury showed enough skill to negate that threat, though his bloody nose showed that not all of Paul’s efforts were in vain.
In the sixth round, the referee took a Fury point for holding, giving Paul hope of being within arm’s reach once more. That gave Paul another shot at life, but Fury still had a lot more class in general exchanges.
The final round is where the controversy came and if the script from before was fake, it wasn’t bad if someone conjured up a new one.
Despite two years of animosity, Paul and Fury had a lot of respect for each other at the end of the contest.
Fury was dropped in the opening seconds of the final round, but the Brit insisted he slipped and only put one hand on the canvas. Replays show that he had lost his balance with his lead leg, but it was at the same time that Paul landed a flush jab.
At the end of the competition Fury raised his hand and it didn’t look like Paul was going to dispute that too much. The pair shared another enjoyable moment there as Fury shed tears after winning. What a reflection of how far Jake Paul has come!
The stars came out to watch the fight that had been over two years in the making. Tyson Fury was rooting for his brother, of course, but his old foe Deontay Wilder also made the trip and was joined by heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Hollywood fame Kevin Hart. .