Most Valuable Promotions announced Friday morning that Jake Paul will, at long last, face undefeated pro boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, on February 26 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The card will also feature two-weight world champion Badou Jack “The Ripper” challenging WBC Cruiserweight world champion Ilunga Makabu in the co-main event. The card will showcase Ashton Sylve, who is promoted by Paul’s company, as he is set to face Ghana’s Maxwell Awuku, a former world title challenger.
Paul-Fury will stream live exclusively on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View in the United States, starting at 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT on a Sunday. Additionally, it will be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers and will be priced at $49.99.
Paul and Fury were originally slated to face off in December 2021, but Fury withdrew from the bout because of a medical issue. Paul went on to record a scintillating one-punch knockout of Tyron Woodley, who stepped in as a late replacement for a rematch of the pair’s August 2021 clash.
Their fight was rescheduled for last August 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York, but Fury withdrew again due to a visa issue.
Paul is giving Fury another chance next month so he can silence the critics who claim he has yet to fight a professional boxer. The 26-year-old Cleveland native started his pro boxing journey in January 2020 and will go head-to-head with Fury, a more experienced boxer from a prominent boxing family.
Paul, who boasts a professional record of 6-0, including four knockouts, continues to make waves in the boxing world.
His latest win against the legendary Anderson Silva. Paul began his pro career in January 2020 with a stunning debut against British YouTube star AnEsonGib and a subsequent, jaw-dropping knockout of former NBA star Nate Robinson in November 2020. From there, “The Problem Child” shocked the industry with a first-round KO of former MMA champion Ben Askren in April 2021 and two wins over Woodley, including a vicious knockout.
“The moment of truth has finally arrived,” Paul said. “On February 26th, I will get in the ring with a ‘real boxer,’ an 8-0 fighter from a storied fighting family and show the world the truth about who Jake Paul, the boxer really is.”
Hailing from Manchester, England, Fury began boxing at the age of 12.
He had 12 amateur fights, winning two regional titles and reaching the U.K. national final in 2016. Fury made his professional debut in 2018, winning by decision. He then knocked out his next four opponents, drawing attention from the boxing world. In 2021, he fought three times, including his U.S. debut on Paul’s undercard, earning his seventh victory against Anthony Taylor. He most recently shut out Daniel Bocianski over six rounds last April 23 on the Tyson Fury-Dillian Whyte undercard.
“Jake Paul has already achieved more than anyone thought possible when we started this journey three years ago. Six professional fights, five pay-per-views, over $150 million of revenue generated and viral moment after viral moment,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “Jake is an undeniable pay-per-view star and we are delighted to collaborate with Top Rank and ESPN+ to distribute this massive event between two of boxing’s biggest names to millions of homes in the United States. Thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its Ministry of Sport and Skill Challenge Entertainment Enterprises for their vision and commitment to putting on this event.”
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