It’s finally here. After years of going back and forth on social media and taking many uncalled shots at each other, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally settle their rivalry.
I’ve spoken a few times about these two and the role they play in boxing, but it can’t be denied that this fight has caught the public’s attention and there’s definitely a lot of excitement about it.
What we have is two fighters trying to prove themselves, but both doing it for different reasons as they seek respect within this sport.
Jake Paul is the YouTuber with the enormous following who has stepped into the boxing world and created this enormous buzz that a lot of fighters will never generate. For all his successes, he still wants to be seen as a legitimate fighter.
For Fury, he comes into this fight under incredible pressure. Being the younger brother of an excellent heavyweight champion can’t be easy, but Tommy must just focus on his own career.
His family are full of fighting men who’ve enjoyed many great nights in this sport, so for him to lose to someone who isn’t seen as a full-time boxer, the impact from defeat could hurt him for a long time.
The brief footage I’ve seen from both men doesn’t fill me with enough confidence that I’m looking at guys who can operate at a good level moving forward.
I don’t think that matters to either man because they have each other and as long as that remains, these two can generate huge interest and make themselves a few quid along the way.
I had to wait until the end of my career to find the perfect dance partner in David Haye. These two lads have found each other early on.
As for the fight, I’ll be honest, I’ve got absolutely no idea what happens. How can you honestly make a confident prediction on this fight following what we’ve seen from both men so far.
What I will say is that I do expect fireworks. Both men have built this fight into an event where losing will be such a bitter pill to swallow and I think that will almost guarantee us a great night.
Whatever happens in the fight, I don’t think it's the last time we’ll see these two in the ring with each other.
Both men will talk afterwards about wanting to go all the way in the sport and compete for world title but only a select few get that chance.
I’d be very surprised if we see either man at the sport’s most prestigious level but for whoever wins on Sunday, they’ll probably feel like they’ve reached that point.