Jake Paul believes Tommy Fury‘s career is being ruined by his father and trainer, John Fury, ahead of their Saudi showdown this weekend, insisting the Briton hasn’t improved since they were first due to lock horns in 2021.
‘The Problem Child’ faces the toughest challenge of his career to date on Sunday as he takes on 8-0 professional boxer Fury in Saudi Arabia, in what is the third time the pair have been scheduled to fight.
Fury has twice withdrawn from bouts against Paul, first in December 2021 due to illness and injury, and then in August last year when their Madison Square Garden clash was axed with Fury unable to gain entry to the United States.
Since their proposed 2021 clash, Paul has beaten MMA legends Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva, while Fury outpointed Daniel Bocianski in his sole professional outing. Fury later underwhelmed in an exhibition bout against Rolly Lambert last November.
And Paul, speaking exclusively to Sportsmail ahead of the bout, insisted Tommy’s father, who he has clashed furiously with on numerous occasions, is to blame for the Briton’s lack of progress made.
Jake Paul (left) and Tommy Fury (right) go head-to-head in Saudi Arabia on Sunday evening
Paul insists Fury’s trainer, his dad John (left), is ruining his career ahead of the showdown
‘I’m getting 33 per cent better each year, because I’ve only been boxing three years,’ Paul said. ‘I am increasing exponentially, whereas Tommy’s done it for 12 years, so how much can his skill level really improve?
‘He’s really stuck in his ways of how he is as a boxer, especially with his dad training him.
‘He’s worked with other trainers who are way better, but his dad is actually hindering him and making him a worse fighter.’
Indeed, while Fury has worked with other trainers, including brief stints with Ricky Hatton and Shayne McGuigan, his father has always been by his side. ‘My dad’s my primary trainer; he’s always been my primary trainer,’ Fury told Sportsmail last week.
‘For anyone out there saying we can’t do this or that, this is another fight where we’re going to show you what we can do.’
Now, more than ever for Fury, that has to be true. The 23-year-old failed to impress as he went the full six rounds against Bocianski early in the night before brother Tyson stopped Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium last year.
He also failed to stop both Anthony Taylor and Jordan Grant in his prior two outings. In perhaps a telling statistic, the four opponents Fury has stopped have a combined record of two wins, two draws and 72 defeats.
Paul, it’s fair to argue, is now Fury’s toughest test to date – based not only on ability, but the occasion itself. Fury has been an undercard fighter throughout his career so far – he will headline a pro fight for the very first time on Sunday.
Fury may end up handling the occasion well, but Paul and his team predict otherwise – particularly with the pressure his own family have placed on his shoulders. Both John and Tyson have insisted Tommy will have no option but to retire with defeat.
Tommy’s last professional fight came against Daniel Bocianski (left) on the undercard of his older brother Tyson’s world title fight against Dillian Whyte last year
Paul insists the pressure will get to Fury on fight night amid his family’s retirement claims
Paul has clashed with Tommy’s father John on numerous occasions leading up to the bout
And Paul – who admits he’s a fan of both John and Tyson – insists it’s not just Tommy’s career at stake, with his family name also in the firing line.
‘It’s unfortunate I have to take on the runt of the family and hurt the Fury family name,’ he said.
‘Tommy has it coming for him. He and John will look bad because they’ve been so loud and proud about how he’s going to knock me out, about how I’ll never box again.
‘John sees no way I could possibly beat Tommy. It will look bad when I do that. I think that will hurt the Fury family name, but I think Tyson’s exempt from that.’
‘He should’ve fought me in 2021,’ he continued. ‘It probably would have been a close fight, and now he’s getting knocked out.
‘Him being scared actually hurt him in the long run. I think he’s still going to be scared, the moment’s still going to get to him. But now, he’s going to get knocked out.’
Where Fury turns next, even with victory, is somewhat unclear. But for Paul, the path is perhaps more straightforward. He is already in talks with YouTuber KSI regarding an end-of-year showdown. He’s also negotiating a two-fight boxing and MMA deal with Nate Diaz as he prepares to venture into a new combat sport next year.
Importantly, Paul insists these bouts won’t hold him back from achieving his end goal of becoming a boxing world champion. Indeed, it’s mere fantasy for most onlookers, but the WBC have now promised to rank Paul should he defeat Fury – much to the anger of many in the industry, mind.
But for Paul himself, it’s just another step in the right direction – the American has every intention of going down a more traditional route later in his career.
‘The Problem Child’ will be given a ranking by the WBC if he defeats Fury on Sunday in Saudi
‘It’s something I’m going to do,’ he said. ‘For now, I’m getting the extra experience, extra training camps under my belt.
‘This is the process, it’s the hardest sport in the world. You have to get better, slowly, day-by-day, working really hard.
‘But eventually I will go away from the path of big pay-per-views, big names, and I will start fighting people on the rankings and eventually for the belt.’
First, he must get through the task at hand, however. But whatever level Tommy Fury proves to be at, a win for Paul would resemble a real statement.
