The eagerly anticipated fight between light-heavyweight Tommy Fury – brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson – and YouTube star Jake Paul has been rescheduled for a third time. With Fury twice calling the bout off due to injury and immigration issues, fight fans have everything crossed that it’s third time lucky for this pair. Incredibly, the sportsbooks must feel that Fury has been avoiding Paul, as they all make Paul the unanimous pre-fight favourite. Fury is as big as 6/4 with bet365 in their futures markets, with the British operator one of three recommended sites by oddschecker based on the calibre of their sign-up promotion, which can be used on boxing events like this.
On paper, Fury, a promising light-heavyweight with an undefeated eight-fight professional career, should have far too much boxing pedigree and nous for a YouTuber. However, Paul has invested his life into boxing since taking up the sport professionally, winning all six of his pro fights.
Fury should have too much ring craft for YouTuber Paul
However, Fury comes from a family with great fighting stock. Brother Tyson and his father, John, a bare-knuckle fighter in his heyday, have both insisted they will force Tommy to retire from the sport if he’s unable to beat Paul convincingly in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 26.
The fight, which had originally been set for the US, has been moved to the Middle East to ensure Fury and his team have no issues or excuses with immigration.
Paul looking to “make Fury pay” for delaying this match-up
Although the bout is due to take place in a matter of weeks, Paul still admits part of him “definitely still doubts” whether the fight will happen. He said Fury is “not necessarily reliable” but insisted the “money’s good for him”. Paul teased Fury adding that he was probably “tired” of his social media influencer partner, Molly-Mae Hague, “making all the money in the relationship”.
After Paul and Fury faced-off in the ring prior to Briton Anthony Yarde’s light-heavyweight bout with Artur Beterbiev, Paul insisted that Fury was “in for a rude awakening”. Paul believes Fury has to “live up to” his family name, which may have some truth.
However, Paul was respectful of Fury’s pedigree, adding that he has “a tonne of credibility” and is his first opponent that’s a fully-fledged boxer. Fury has been boxing for well over a decade, while Paul has only been in the scene for just a few years. Nevertheless, Paul’s dream to become world champion will probably hinge on his showing in this big-money bout.
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