Jake Paul has declared he is "the best boxer in the world" as he prepares for his grudge fight against Tommy Fury.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul is scheduled to meet Love Island star Fury over eight rounds at a catchweight of 185lb on February 26 in Saudi Arabia. The fight has now scheduled three times, as the pair were first scheduled to meet in December 2021 but Fury pulled out because of a chest infection and broken rib. A rescheduled clash between the pair was also cancelled last August when visa issues prevented Fury from travelling to the United States.
In a video of himself juggling three tennis balls, Paul showed he isn't short on confidence as he made a vow to knock out Fury whilst calling himself the best boxer in the world. “I will knock him out, I will embarrass him, I will put him to sleep. I’m the best in the world. I’m the best boxer in the world. I, Jake Paul will knockout, defeat, and embarrass Tommy Fury, February 26 live in Saudi Arabia,” Paul said in the video.
Paul also addressed his critics in the same tweet, insisting that fans will not give him praise if he hands Fury the first loss of his professional career. “I will knock him out and then they will still say I’m not a real boxer. You have to believe in yourself. Don’t let anyone detract you from your goals. 3 years in and I am just getting started. 22 days to The Truth,” he wrote.
'The Problem Child' has faced heavy scrutiny since ditching his internet fame for a career in the ring, having not fought an 'actual boxer'. He previously defeated fellow content creators, retired MMA fighters and athletes from other sports. Fury has also been criticised for his past fights as just two of his eight professional wins have come against opponents with more victories than losses.
Who wins n February 26 - Jake Paul or Tommy Fury? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below.
Paul was accused of "fixing" his points win against 47-year-old UFC legend Anderson Silva last October, with fans questioning the legitimacy of his knockdown in the final round. Paul admitted the accusations made him "lose faith" in his generation whilst Silva went on to deny the fix claims.
Fury went six rounds against Rolly Lambert in an un-scored exhibition fight on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather vs Deji last November after his original opponent, Paul Bamba, pulled out due to a pay dispute. The 23-year-old has promised to end Paul's boxing career on February 26, telling his rival: "I was beating better people than you when I was 14 in the amateurs, whilst you were messing around on Disney channel, so don't pretend you're about it when you're not. I am not an MMA fighter, I will school you."
