Tommy Fury’s family had plenty to say about Jake Paul and his skills as a boxer in the lead up to their eight round fight in Saudi Arabia.
The Brit was confident of a knockout victory, branding his opponent a white collar fighter and believing that he would crumble at any sight of pressure.
There was no knockout – despite it being promised on both sides – but Fury did outbox Paul over the distance and came away with a split decision victory despite suffering a flash knockdown in the final round.
Following the animosity during fight week, there was respect in the wake of battle, with both fighters congratulating the other on being better than they had expected or prepared for.
Tyson Fury entered the ring, too, and said that he was impressed by Paul.
“Well done, Jake. Good fight, brother. Very, very impressed. Well done.”
The WBC World Heavyweight Champion was in attendance with the likes of Mike Tyson, Devin Haney, Derek Chisora and his old foe, Deontay Wilder.
He had piled the pressure on his brother when the fight was made by claiming publicly that he would force him to change his name and stay in Saudi Arabia should he lose to Paul – all likely nonsense but daunting nonetheless.
The two novice fighters are expected to run it back later this year, with Paul already signalling that he intends to exercise his rematch clause.
Fury will go into the rematch as a deserved favourite, and many fans believe that the American displayed serious fundamental flaws that can be capitalised on for him to win again, perhaps by stoppage a second time around.
Despite impressing the heavyweight champ, two losses in a row against what Paul accepted was his first time facing against a real boxer would be a bitter pill for the confident American to swallow.