Jake Paul and Tommy Fury finally sat down in the same room for a press conference ahead of their fight in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia – and they made a bet that will leave the loser without a purse.
After two failed attempts to step into the ring together, third time looks to be a charm for the YouTuber-turned-fighter and the fighter-turned-reality-star-turned-fighter-again.
Following the housekeeping of praising the host nation, John Fury kicked things off.
“I wouldn’t have my son sat here if I didn’t think he could deliver. Because there’s no way in this entire world my son would discuss our great champion in Tyson Fury. In this great country you’re going to see something special.”
“We’ve worked more on manners coming to Saudi than actually training for the event … We’re here to do one thing – knock Jake Paul out.”
“Come Monday, Tyson Fury is going to be the proudest brother in the world.”
Paul then spoke of some good qualities he’d spotted in his opponent, but said that they wouldn’t be enough.
“He’s a good boxer but he’s not a great boxer, and his lack of defence and his lack of head movement is gonna be exposed on Sunday.”
“There’s nothing he can do to stop me. He doesn’t have power … He’s never been eight rounds, and he’s going to get into the deep waters and drown, I promise that.”
Fury didn’t have any kind words for Paul, though. He repeated the plan to knock him out in the opening rounds, and ripped apart his record so far.
“I have goals of being a world champion, if I am to do that, I can’t be dodging people like Jake Paul … I’m going to clinically knock this guy out, early.”
“Everybody knows in this building, MMA fighters are not boxers. We all know that … Let me tell you now, I’m not 50 year old, and when you’re in the opposite corner getting hit all about the head, blue flashes, you’re gonna wake up and realise what boxing is. It’s not to fight old men. You’ve got a proper fighter in here, and he’s coming to take your head off.”
At that point, ‘The Gypsy King’ arrived in the audience, and Jake Paul tried to strike a deal with his younger brother.
He offered to double Fury’s purse if he won, but take it all for himself if loses. As Tommy Fury stood to confront Paul, John Fury jumped in to accept, repeating ‘all or nothing.’
All or nothing… a 'delicious' deal 👀💸
It's all heating up between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury 🥊#PaulFury | BT Sport Box Office pic.twitter.com/6PzoKOY1l2
— Boxing on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) February 23, 2023
If the fight needed more intrigue, it just got it.
Derek Chisora, one of the promoters of the event, was surprised to hear that it was eight rounds and not twelve, but that’s what it will be, at a catchweight of 185lb.
Things wrapped up after a lengthy face off with some words exchanges, but no pushing or shoving.
Fans in the UK can tune into the fight via BT Sports Box Office for a price of £19.95, whilst those in the US will be charged $49.99 for pay-per-view.