Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ll know that Youtuber-come-boxer Jake Paul boxed Tommy Fury on the weekend and was on the losing end of a split decision. The fight, which unfolded in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia; was Jake Paul’s first against a genuine professional boxer and was not the one sided beating that boxing purists had hoped for. Far from it. Jake Paul will live to fight another day and it’s bad news for boxing.
The fight pitted two internet sensations against each other, in what became a rather closely contested affair. Jake Paul, a bona fide Youtuber and influencer has hoovered up mainstream interest in professional boxing by building a career on exquisite PR, decent trash talking and a highlight reel expensed on the brain cells of former UFC champions and other influencers. Tommy Fury, who was considered the “professional” in the matchup, was in no deficit of “clout” either; thanks to his brother and heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and a successful run on Love Island with fellow A-list influencer, Molly Mae Hague.
So, we have a real influencer extravaganza here: an event that garnered the attention of boxing aficionados and Love Island connoisseurs alike, that attracted a who’s who of celebrities and which all unfolded amidst Dishdashy-clad Princes demanding regular bouts of feet kissing. It was a sight, but the fight itself wasn’t a complete horror show.
Jake Paul, who’s only been boxing for 2-3 years, demonstrated good composure and a decent punch repertoire that landed with authority on his coiffured opponent’s head. Paul even scored a knockdown in the final round off a stiff jab. All in all, it’s fair to say that Jake Paul did well against a much more experienced opponent and certainly wasn’t blown out the water. Truth be told, Tommy Fury’s boxing pedigree got him over the line; with crisp combos, good ring generalship and a heavy clinch game that stifled a lot of Jake Paul’s best work.
Sadly, though, for boxing purists, the myth of Jake Paul the boxer is alive and well. Jake Paul was not exposed, he was not humiliated and he will live to fight another day. There are still plenty more tickets to be sold, plenty more links to be clicked and plenty more Princes’ pockets to be lined. But aside from the dough, what does Jake Paul’s meteoric rise say about the state of boxing as a whole? Admittedly, we are in the Tiktok era and if you can command a solid viewership, you can sell basically anything.
However, boxing provided the most fertile of soils for a caricature like Jake Paul to plant his seed. The sport’s ratings have been battered by the usual mafioso-style infighting, the best not fighting the best and a barbie doll collection of plastic belts for every boxer and his Missus. Case in point, the WBC’s “Diriyah Belt”, which was on Molly Mae’s Instagram by Monday morning. Yes, the UFC has nicked a few boxing fans, but the sport’s slide has been primarily a self-flagellating shit show. So with a sport in disarray and fans hungry for some more influencer shenanigans, Jake Paul can rematch Tommy Fury or pursue equally lucrative options against a horde of fellow influencers trying to secure the bag.
Another interesting option for Jake Paul is an MMA fight for fledgling MMA promoter, the PFL. Paul recently signed a contract with the company and is likely to make his MMA debut in the foreseeable future. But if I were a betting man, I’d say that Jake’s foray into MMA will not get as much traction as his pugilistic pursuits. MMA fans already get their fix from the professionals. Every weekend there is no shortage of high-quality MMA fights between well-matched opponents. In MMA, unlike boxing, the best fight the best. So can I see Youtube MMA becoming a thing? Not really – at least not to the extent that Youtube boxing has become dominant.
Last weekend’s matchup between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury marked a fork in the road. For the hardcore boxing fans it represented a gleaming opportunity to bury the myth of Jake Paul and his Youtube boxing brethren. But with Jake Paul likely to continue and Youtube boxing ascendant, the sport as we once knew it is changing. With Clout and trash talk taking precedence over skills and professionalism it’s hard to see how the average fan will get truly invested in the sport. It’s also more likely that seasoned professionals will prioritise fights against influencers and Youtubers. So with Youtube boxing leapfrogging the real thing; the sport, at least for the professionals, will continue to suffer a slow and painful death.
