Jake Paul 'still doubts' whether Tommy Fury fight will go ahead

By Sports Desk January 29, 2023

Jake Paul "definitely still doubts" whether his planned bout with Tommy Fury next month will go ahead.

It was announced last week that YouTube sensation Paul and reality television personality Fury will meet in Saudi Arabia on February 26.

They came face-to-face on Saturday during the uncared for the Anthony Yarde versus Artur Beterbiev bout, with security having to step in.

However, after previous fights between the pair scheduled for December 2021 and August last year were called off, Paul is wary of his opponent withdrawing once again.

"A part of me definitely still doubts," Paul is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

"It's scary and it's annoying, and the kid's not necessarily reliable but the money's good, for him, so he would be just so dumb [not to go ahead with the fight]."

Paul confirmed MMA fighter Mike Perry, who left UFC two years ago, has been placed on standby to fill in should Fury pull out.

The 26-year-old's move to boxing from the social media world has drawn plenty of criticism, but Fury would be the first professional boxer he has faced in a six-fight career to date.

"I'm validated. I've done everything I needed to do in this sport for me personally," Paul said. 

"I've proved everything to myself but it will be nice to take on a professional boxer, one with a big name, a tonne of credibility.

"He's been fighting since he was 10, 11 years old and I've only been doing this for three years.

"It's another stepping stone because I want to become world champion. I want to and I will. I'm capable of it and no one's believed in me.

"When I said that four fights ago people laughed, they don't want to believe that's possible because of my background.

"But I believe anything is possible if you set your mind to it and dedicate your whole entire life and have a little bit of natural talent, which I happen to have."

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    Three of the four fights went to the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) whose boxers looked well prepared and physically fitter than their opponents. Arguably the fight of the night was the final (elite) bout between Delano McLaughlin of the JDF and Kirk-Patrick Heron of the Port Antonio Gym in a light heavyweight match-up. Both fighters were very determined while going all three rounds of three minutes each. At times they traded blow for blow while taking some big punches but in the end McLaughlin landed more hits and was adjudged the winner. 

    The first JDF boxer to enter the ring was Gervin Garrison in a light heavyweight matchup with Sadeki Harris of GC Foster Gym. Both boxers got busy immediately but Garrison soon showed that he was the better fighter with cleaner punches and was more agile around the ring. Harris took a lot of punishment and showed a lot of heart to stay toe to toe with Garrison but just did not have the strength to throw some winning punches as Garrison came out the clear winner. 

    That fight gave way to another JDF match-up between with Shawn Morgan in a lop-sided super heavyweight face off with Vernando McKenzie of Funrobics Gym. McKenzie entered the ring confidently but could not handle the force and speed of Morgan. He faced referee Wayne Roberts count more than once in the less than two rounds that he was in the ring, as Roberts eventually stopped the fight midway in the second round. 

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    Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn immediately suggested his fighter will seek to activate a rematch clause with Dubois, however.

    Whether Joshua can recover from this defeat remains to be seen, having been sent spiralling to the canvas multiple times, including in the opening round.

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    "If he [Dubois] wants to get it on then let's go," Parker said on DAZN immediately after the result.

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