Tommy Fury has been prevented from flying to the United States, where he was set to meet Jake Paul at a press conference in New York on June 29. Fury's rescheduled match with YouTube sensation Paul was last week officially confirmed for August 6 at Madison Square Garden, New York.
The fight was announced shortly after Fury's dad, John, admitted that Tommy would have to travel stateside without several members of his team. Fury has now confirmed that he will not be able to attend the press conference, which was later cancelled, putting his fight with the social media star into doubt.
Speaking on Instagram, he said: "Me and my team arrived at Heathrow Airport ready to fly out and as soon as I entered the airport I was pulled to one side and told by a Homeland Security officer that my ESTA had been denied and that I wasn't able to travel to the USA for a reason I apparently know", The Mirror reports.
He added: "I can stand here and say I have done nothing wrong and I have no clue why I'm not allowed to travel to the USA. I've been training for a fight this whole time and that's all I've been doing. I have no clue why I'm not allowed to travel and neither does my team or my lawyers.
"Now I've got to go to the embassy trying to resolve it and I'm in the middle of training. I don't know why this has happened a huge shock to me and my team. It's government issues and it's a lot bigger than the fight right now and I'm trying to get it sorted."
Paul later responded to the news by insisting he will do what he can to ensure the fight goes ahead. He tweeted: "Tommy, no matter how hard you try to get out of this fight, I’m going to do everything in my power to not let you weasel ur way out. My team and my partners have made it clear the steps you need to take to solve your latest excuse. Take them or admit you're a scared little b****."
Fury's dad is already banned from America due to previous convictions whilst older brother Tyson Fury has allegedly been stopped from entering in recent weeks. John confirmed last week that Tyson was unable to travel to America for Tommy's upcoming fight.
"Listen, mate, we want this fight with you," Fury Sr told Paul in a deleted Instagram clip, which later appeared again online. "There's one problem, we can't travel - Tommy hasn't got a team.
"His team members are not allowed in America at the present point of time, so Madison Square Garden ain't accessible for us, is it? And you know that. We want this fight with you, Jake, because we know that we can beat you.
"So what we'll do is we'll take less money and we'll fight you anywhere else in the world because we can't travel. Tommy is not going to start getting new teams in four weeks and different things and other strange people involved because that doesn't work. We're his people, we're his guidance, especially me and you're talking to me now."
When their re-arranged fight, which was due to take place last year before Fury pulled out due to injury, was announced, Fury vowed to "permanently shut up" his opponent.
“The Paul brothers’ boxing charade is about to come to an end once and for all,” Fury said in a press release ahead of the fight, also mocking Jake's older brother Logan. “I am a boxer. My opponent plays boxing. Jake Paul has been dressed up to look like a boxer against retirees from other sports."
"On August 6, I will show the world that he does not belong in the ring. Thank you to my promoter Frank Warren, Most Valuable Promotions and Showtime for letting me permanently shut up Jake Paul. I look forward to headlining Madison Square Garden and knocking out this clown.”
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