tommy anger edged Jake Paul By a split decision in a narrow victory Sunday night in Saudi Arabia.
In the eight-round boxing match at Diriyah Arena, both fighters took a point and Fury knelt in the final round, but the British did just enough to win the long-awaited fight.
The bout had been dropped twice before—one in December 2021 and again last August—but it was finally played on Sunday, with both fighters promised to knock out in preparation. Neither YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul nor heavyweight champion Tyson’s half-brother Fury could find the finish as the main event competition had come a long way.
Paul, 26, came closest to securing a stop when he stunned Fury with a punch on the last frame, but the 23-year-old’s eight-round run was cleaner than the American’s.
During the competition, each man scored a point and Paul was penalized for punching the back of Fury’s head in Round 5, then the Englishman was penalized in the frame below for holding Paul during a riveting.
Still, Fury’s output was more slick from start to finish as he put up a narrow lead against Paul before the final two rounds. Meanwhile, more damage was done to Paul’s face, and the fight was clearly tiring as it drew to a close.
Ultimately, the referees’ scorecards read 76-73, 76-73, 74-75 in favor of Fury, who was undefeated in 9-0 (4 KOs), and the result was the first defeat for Paul (6-1, 4) KOs).
Fury later burst into tears during his post-fight interview, admitting that he dealt with significant pressure prior to the match, before both fighters said they were open to a rematch.
“Everybody thought I was scared,” Fury said, given the injury that led to his withdrawal from a planned match with Paul in 2021 and travel issues that prevented the Briton from reaching the US last summer to box with the social media star.
“Tonight I created my own legacy: I’m Tommy Fury! I want to dedicate this fight to Bambi, my new baby in the house, and Miss I love you.
Fury (right) undefeated in points win as Paul suffers his first defeat
(Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Paul said, “I have the utmost respect for Tommy, he won. Don’t judge me by my gains, judge me by my losses.
“I don’t know if I joined the jurors – I took 10-8 rounds twice. But in life I already won. I’ve done a lot more than I thought I’d do and went beyond.
“This is an absolutely humble experience.”
The American added that he had suffered an illness and an arm injury while preparing for the fight, but denied making “excuses” and showed respect to his opponent.