Jake Paul Makes Big Announcement on Next Boxing Match

Jake Paul is getting back in the boxing ring next month. According to ESPN, the YouTube star-turned-boxer will take on Tommy Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Feb. 26. The event, which was reported to take place on Feb. 25, will partner with Top Rank and broadcast digitally on ESPN+ pay-perv-view. An official announcement of the fight is expected to take place on Friday. 

"The moment of truth has finally arrived," Paul said in a statement. "On Feb. 26, I will get in the ring with a 'real boxer,' an 8-0 fighter from a storied fighting family and show the world the truth about who Jake Paul, the boxer really is." Paul and Fury, the half-brother of boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, were supposed to fight twice before. The original fight was scheduled for December 2021, but Fury pulled out due to an illness. Paul ended up taking on Tyron Woodley in a rematch and won via knockout. Another fight between Paul and Fury was scheduled for August 2022, but it was scrapped due to travel issues for Fury. 

Paul vs.Fury will be co-produced by Saudi Arabia's Skill Challenge Entertainment Enterprises and Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. "With the consumption of YouTube content per capita in Saudi Arabia remaining one of the highest in the world, the highly anticipated bout featuring one of its most renowned personalities-turned-boxer, Jake Paul, will be amongst the most-viewed events globally," SCEE chairman Prince Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said in a statement.

Paul is off to a strong start to his boxing career as he has a 6-0 record. His last boxing match was in October when he defeated UFC legend Anderson Silva via unanimous decision. Paul has also defeated former UFC star Ben Askren, former NBA star Nate Robinson and YouTube star AnEsonGib. 

Fury will be the most experienced boxer Paul will face. He has an 8-0 record and, his last match came in April 2022 when he defeated Daniel Bocianski. Paul doesn't seem worried about Fury as he told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani in November: "He just doesn't have the experience like I do, which is crazy to say because he's been doing it his whole life, but people call him a professional boxer and they respect him as a professional boxer. So I would love to strip that title from him. I wouldn't even have to actually train for that fight. I would still train because I'm a professional, but I wouldn't have to train to fight him."

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