The moment Tommy Fury had been feverishly waiting for finally came Sunday at Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Fury took a split-decision victory (74-75, 76-73, 76-73) in the highly anticipated showdown with Jake Paul to move his career professional boxing record to 9-0.
The 23-year-old Fury, who is the younger half-brother of heavyweight star Tyson Fury, was overcome with emotion in the ring after battling with Paul for eight rounds and coming through with a win.
“For the past two-and-a-half years, this is all that’s consumed my life. Broke rib, denied access and everybody thought I was running scared,” Fury said, per Boxing on BT Sport. “Tonight, I made my own legacy. I am Tommy Fury.”
It wasn’t a clean fight from Fury, but he did enough to come out on top against Paul, who lost the first professional boxing match of his career and was humbled by the experience. Fury even survived getting knocked down by Paul in the final round to emerge victorious in a fight that seems to have a rematch in its future.
“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,” Fury said. “Now I can stand up and everybody can take note. It’s my first main event (at) 23 years old. I had the world on me, I had pressure on my shoulders and I came through.”
