In points, the YouTuber with 20 million subscribers, Jake Paul, bowed out to Tommy Fury, reality TV star and half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson, on Sunday in a show fight in Saudi Arabia.
This confrontation between two celebrities was organized in order to boost the tourist attractiveness of the country. It was Tommy Fury, better known for having played in the reality TV show Love Island than for boxing, who won the duel, after being knocked out in the eighth and final round.
The split decision was cheered by Saudi fans, who instead booed Jake Paul after the fight. The famous American YouTuber has indeed claimed that he had ” injured arm “, without ” look for excuses “. Paul, 26, has more than 20 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he notably posts videos relating to boxing, a sport he turned to about five years ago.
Beautiful people in Saudi Arabia
The two fighters lined up undefeated on Sunday, but neither has ever faced a renowned pro boxer. This has prompted observers to wonder if this confrontation should be taken seriously. The event is however a new sign that Saudi Arabia is gaining influence in the boxing world. In 2019, the country played host to the clash for the world heavyweight title between Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua, taken over by the latter. Last summer, the Oleksandr Usyk – Anthony Joshua poster, another titanic clash, was held in Jeddah.
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On Sunday, well-known personalities were present to watch the duel between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury, including former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, comedian Kevin Hart and Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Saudi club Al Nassr this winter in the outcome of a resounding transfer. Human rights groups accuse Saudi Arabia of “sports washing”, the use of sport to deflect criticism.
