In a closely fought dust-up in Saudi Arabia, it was Fury who got the win, but the Brit revealed he had to dig deep in order to come away with the victory
Tommy Fury has revealed he ‘fought like his life depended on it’ in his boxing showdown with Jake Paul last year.
After years of trading barbs on social media, the two social media stars settled their bitter rivalry in the ring. The fight was a closely fought contest, and, after eight rounds, it was Tyson Fury ’s younger brother, Tommy who came away with the split-decision victory as the official scorecards read 74–75, 76–73, 76–73.
Fury threw nearly double the amount of Paul’s thrown punches (302 to 157) and landed a higher percentage (88 to 49). However, the decisive moment came in the final round of their grudge match. With both men visibly tired, ‘TNT’ hit the canvas following a sharp jab from the American. However, the Brit insisted he slipped and was able to continue with the bout.
Recalling the eighth round, Fury admitted he had a brief interaction with his father John following the knock down, and claims he had to dig deep in order to make it to the end of the fight.
Following the release of his memoir, Lightning Can Strike Twice: My Life as a Fury – just two months after his split from Molly-Mae Hague, Fury wrote: “I stumbled, but this had nothing to do with the contact he made: the floor was covered in sweat, and it was a genuine slip,’’ he wrote. “As soon as I touched down, I jumped straight back up again because I wasn’t hurt, but it was classed as a knockdown and the referee started counting, so I automatically lost, making it a 10/8 round. I was beside myself. I had never been in this predicament before.”
The 25-year-old spoke to his Dad before admitting he had to show some real adversity. “I turned to Dad. ‘That was a slip!’ I said, and he nodded in agreement. ‘Stay calm, keep focused, move on,’ he counselled. I went on the attack, hit Jake with everything and the crowd were roaring.
“I was on him as if my life depended on it. As soon as the fight ended, I went to the corner, jumped up on the ropes and celebrated because I knew I had won, and the crowd agreed. Jake did the same, but one of us was about to be disappointed and it wasn’t going to be me.”
After getting his hand raised, an emotional Fury said in the post-fight interview: “For the past two-and-a-half years, this is all that’s consumed my life. Tonight I made my own legacy – I am Tommy Fury. I had a dream I would win, people doubted me, but everyone can take note now. I had the world on me, pressure on my shoulders and I came through. This is a world title fight to me, this is my destiny, my fate.”
