Why Jake Paul's boxing career is OVER after defeat to Tommy Fury
It's finally happened, Jake Paul has lost the first fight of his fledging boxing career. Where does he go from here? It's a question on the lips of all fight fans after last night's setback and one with no obvious answer. But I think it should be the end of the road for 'The Problem Child' - and here's why.
It took Paul seven fights before tasting defeat in the world of professional boxing and it came against the first genuine boxer he faced, having predominantly fought MMA fighters.
And, let's be honest, that 'genuine' boxer was a relative novice in Tommy Fury, who only had eight professional bouts to his name prior to their Saudi Arabia showdown.
So, the 26-year-old American slipped up in his first hurdle when taking on a boxer, which doesn't bode well for the rest of his career - especially considering he's been calling out Canelo Alvarez and Conor McGregor, who, of course, isn't a professional boxer by trade, but a highly-skilled fighter.
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Paul calling out the likes of Alvarez and McGregor got people talking - more so the Irishman. Could he actually knock out McGregor? It sounded stupid, but people actually thought it could happen considering the size advantage and what he had done against the likes of Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
Paul has relentlessly called out McGregor and even claimed a potential bout could generate $75 to $100 million dollars (£63 to 83 million) for both. But, in typical fashion, the UFC superstar shut down Paul's attempt to set up a fight, brutally calling him a 'flop' and a 'nobody' while taking aim at his previous pay-per-view sales. They were also involved in a toxic Twitter war, with their exchanges on social media getting very messy.
But that promotional fuel will ultimately go to waste as if he can't even beat Fury, then he has no chance setting up a clash against McGregor or any top-level fighter for that matter. His social media attacks on the 'Notorious' just become redundant.
Paul's coveted '0' has gone and so has his appeal. Will the hype be there for his next fight? I'm not convinced. People tuned in to see him lose, now he's lost - what more can he offer to boxing?
He only stayed relevant because he hadn't been beaten. If he does, though, run it back, then, sure, it does a few quid, but the redemption arc isn't fooling anyone as he's been exposed by Fury.
To Paul's credit, on the other hand, he made a LOT of noise in the combat sports bubble. He got everyone talking. From fighters to promoters. He also used his platform to promote Amanda Serrano, who fought Katie Taylor in a blockbuster fight last year, and put a much-needed spotlight on fighter pay in the UFC.
Whilst he only fought former UFC stars ahead of the Fury bout, he did take on Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion, and Silva, who will go down as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. Taking up the sport competitively is also commendable considering he doesn't need the money having made a fortune through his Disney and YouTube career. He was getting punched in the head for a living when he didn't even need to.
But we don't see a way back for Paul. It was fun while it lasted (admit it, it was). Is his boxing project over? Let us know what you think.
Nasir Jabbar