Tommy Fury Wins Controversial Split Decision Over Jake Paul, Badou Jack Wins WBC Title at Age 39 By Stopping Makabu in 12th Round in Saudi Arabia
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Diriyah, Saudi Arabia (February 27th, 2023)– The social media promoted bout of the century ended in wild controversy, with a rematch between the two combatants an almost absolute certainty. In the most overhyped bout since Jack Johnson versus James Jeffries, Joe Louis versus Max Schmeling II, and Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier I, and Marvelous Marvin Hagler versus Thomas Hearns, cruiserweight Tommy Fury, the brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, battled to an eight round upset split decision win over Jake Paul, at Diriyah Arena, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. The odds makers had Paul favored, but neither fighter’s record had any opponents or bouts of note at this point in their careers besides each other.
Tommy Fury, now 8-0 with four knockouts, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom, got controversially knocked down by Paul during the eighth round. Fury protested his foot tripped over the center ring logo, overruled by referee Hector Afu. The final round knockdown oddly only put Paul over the top on one scorecard.
It was a wild scrap with wild holding at times Both men got caught punching to the back of the head. Fury fought his front left hand down, leaving him susceptible to Paul’s speedy overhand counters. Paul looked like a light bearded version of super middleweight Caleb Plant. Fury had more success with the uppercut, Paul had more success with the counter left hook. Both fighters were in top condition. Fury simply landed more and more often, though it did seem that way. This was a close tactical war, which finally got fought in the ring after two years of fighting on social media by the taunting talking Paul caused the bout to finally become real.
Fury landed 88 of 302 punches thrown, while Paul’s words got gutted, only landing 49 of 157 punches thrown. Paul landed 33 percent of punches thrown, to Fury’s 29 percent punches landed rate. However, Fury threw and landed more overall to clearly score the decision win.
Both fighters were warned twice for fighting dirty in the first round. Fouls, more than blows landed, dictated the weird outcome of the scoring. Paul was deducted a point in round five for pulling down the back of Fury’s head Muhammad Ali style Tommy Fury had a point for fouling Paul in round six.
Paul stuck to his overhand jabs, but eventually by round four Fury was landing his jab with more success. An accidental clash of heads caused a cut on the outside the left eyebrow of Fury in round seven which did not affect the outcome of the bout. It came as Paul leaned forward with his head. Fury used to a jab-and-hold strategy throughout the fight which could not be considered the best boxing approach, but he moved better than Paul, and outworked him, and that proved the difference. Neither fighter will ever be in the league of Tyson Fury, who at least got to see his brother win the battle of the words. Paul set new precedent on how a social media aardvark could sell a bout of theoretically no significance to the future of the boxing ring and generate mega income in the procedure during to overhype.
After two years of bicker banter in the social media universe finally came to reality in the Saudi Arabian desert storms, Paul had no excuse, but at least a good argument for a rematch in this odd split decision, with a performance unlikely to concern in the least newly crowned WBC Cruiserweight champion Badou Jack, Paul noted “This is definitely a humbling experience. I take it (my first loss in seven pro bouts) on the chin, and I will come back strong. I felt flat. I got sick twice in camp (before taking this bout anyway) and injured my arm (in training). But I’m not making excuses. All respect to Tommy, he won.”
Paul said during an in-ring interview with Radio Rahim. “And don’t judge me by my wins. Judge me by my losses. I’ll come back. I think we (team Jake Paul) deserve that rematch. It was a great fight……a close fight. I don’t know if I agree with the judges. I got a 10-8 round twice (in my view). So it is what it is but this is boxing. And look, I’ve already won in life. I’ve already won. I’ve won in every single way. I have an amazing family, amazing friends, (and an) amazing work ethic. I’ve made it farther than I ever thought that I would, and beyond. So this (my first loss to Tommy Fury) is definitely a humbling experience. I’ll take it on the chin, get back in the gym, and we can run it back (and do this again in the near future), because I think we put on an amazing show for the (worldwide boxing and social media) fans tonight. 100 percent let’s run it back! (do it again)”
Tommy Fury, whose performance and pro record still leaves him far from consideration of a world title shot, reflected on his humbling two-year war in the media, culminating in his in ring experience. “For the past two and a half years, this is all that’s consumed my life. “I broke a rib, got denied access [to the United States by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service), and everybody thought I was running scared. Tonight, I built my own legacy. I am Tommy Fury. All the way through these two and a half years, I had a dream. I had a vision I would win this fight, and no one believed me. Now I can stand up and everyone can take note. At 23 years old, I had the world on me, I had pressure on my shoulders, and I came through.”
In response to Paul, now 6-1 four knockouts, Dorado, Puerto Rico, making the obvious request for an immediate rematch in the near, Tommy Fury was good with it. “One hundred percent, this is my first main event, I’m only going to go stronger. I’m only going to go bigger, and I’m only going to go better. There’s a lot of nerves coming in here, I overrode that. If he (Jake Paul) wants a rematch, bring it on!”
Result: Tommy Fury Win Split Decision 8 Jake Paul, Cruiserweights
Scoring: 76-73, 76-73 Tommy Fury. 75-74 for Jake Paul. Referee: Hector Afu.
Paul was credited with a knockdown in round eight. Both men had one point deductions.
In the other major bout on the card, former world super middleweight and world light heavyweight champion Badou Jack, age 39, turned back the clock, dropping Ilunga Junior Makabu in the fourth and fifth rounds, and scoring a stoppage at 54 seconds of round 12 to win the World Boxing Council World Cruiserweight title. Jack staggered Makaku backwards in the center ropes with an overhand right, then dashed forward and unleashed a ten punch combination fury on a helpless defenseless Makaku to force referee Mark Lyson to stop the bout. The two 10-8 rounds for Jack gave him the bout on the cards going into the final round, and his eleventh round performance had Makabu ready to go.
For Jack, 28-3-3 with 17 knockouts, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by way of Stockholm, Sweden, it was his first win in a world title bout since defeating Nathan Cleverly in August 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Makabu, 29-3 with 25 knockouts, Johannesburg, South Africa, lost for the first time in seven years, coming in with a ten bout winning streak.
Diriyah Arena Undercard Results
Bader Samreen TKO 1 Violel Simeon, Lightweights (1:26)
Amman, Jordan lightweight prospect Samreen is now 8-0 with seven knockouts.
Muhsin Cason Win Referee’s Technical Decision 1 Taryel Jafarov, Cruiserweights (3:00)
Las Vegas cruiserweight prospect Cason now 12-0. Jafarov retired with an injured finger.
Zayad Almaayouf Win 4 Ronnald Martinez, Super Lightweights
2-0 Saudi Arabian super lightweight prospect Ziyad Almaayouf now fights out of Los Angeles.
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