In the ring after struggling his first defeat in a boxing ring, Jake Paul stated that he would “100%” wish to activate his rematch clause for one more shot at Tommy Fury. It was an comprehensible assertion. Paul had been aggressive within the eight-round battle, even successful the bout on one of many three official scorecards. Removed from the warmth of the second, nonetheless, the thought of leaping proper again into the ring with Fury is probably not Paul’s most suitable choice.
The loss little doubt stung Paul badly. Fighting Fury was each an try to deal with criticism that he’d by no means confronted a “actual boxer” and a real rivalry bout, with each males having spit acidic trash speak for almost two years earlier than lastly dealing with off.
To come up quick, even when scoring the one knockdown within the battle, will weigh closely on Paul and he now needed to endure much more criticism and statements that his boxing profession was all the time a sham, constructed on dealing with unskilled opponents and light blended martial arts stars.
Fury is one thing of a restricted fighter himself, which solely serves so as to add to the questions of the long-term viability of Paul’s boxing profession. Still, as restricted as Fury is, he is fairly a bit higher than the extent of opponent many achieved beginner boxers — which Paul just isn’t — face of their seventh skilled outing.
For reference, Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s seventh opponent was Tony Duran, who entered the battle 12-15-1 and on an 0-9-1 run. Shane Mosley fought 1-3 Paulino Gonzalez, who went on to retire with a 2-18 document.
Paul’s ceiling was by no means as excessive as these males, however he did take a transparent threat in dealing with an opponent who was on an equal degree and with much more time spent in a boxing health club. That threat did not repay however it have to be acknowledged in figuring out how Paul can transfer ahead from his first defeat.
There’s seemingly nonetheless cash to be squeezed out of continuous to step into the ring, however Paul now faces an enormous choice on what form his fight profession takes.
Pride and competitiveness do seemingly make Paul wish to reap the benefits of the rematch clause and step again within the ring with Fury once more. But Fury was the higher boxer on Sunday and by a reasonably clear margin. Paul had his personal moments of success and did not look completely out of his depth, however the total talent distinction was clear and confirmed with Fury needing to make use of little greater than his jab to maintain Paul from settling in to the battle.
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A second loss to Fury would nearly definitely carry the Paul cash practice to a halt. And Fury can be a substantial favourite within the rematch contemplating the late Paul knockdown was a results of a jab catching Fury off steadiness greater than a present that his energy had really affected Fury.
There are nonetheless loads of choices for Paul that can earn money exterior of rematching Fury. But there’s one which stands out as the largest field workplace attraction, whereas additionally being the choice that will present that Paul’s precedence has shifted totally away from his repeated objectives to grow to be a reliable championship-level boxer and purely to the realm of leisure.
A showdown with fellow social media star-turned-boxer KSI has been mentioned for roughly so long as each males have been turning their consideration to boxing. KSI was fast to take to social media to have a good time Paul’s loss.
KSI additionally holds a 2019 break up choice win over Logan Paul, Jake’s brother. That provides an additional layer to the rivalry, although one should ignore that KSI additionally co-owns Prime sports activities drink with Logan to totally purchase into the legitimacy of their shared hatred.
KSI vs. Jake Paul is a big-money battle in the identical approach that KSI vs. Logan Paul was. That battle bought 12,000 seats in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, drawing in huge celebrities and curiosity world wide.
Since the battle with Logan Paul, KSI has fought a number of exhibition bouts whereas co-founding the Misfits Boxing promotion. On Aug. 27, he defeated British entertainer Swarmz and 2-5 skilled boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda on the identical evening. He then was scheduled to battle MMA fighter Dillon Danis on Jan. 14, however Danis pulled out of the battle, leaving KSI to make fast work of esports and YouTube character FaZe Temperrr.
Paul now should select which of two roads to journey. One, preventing Fury in a rematch, presents the largest threat but additionally the largest likelihood to proceed making an attempt to show himself a reliable boxer. The different, preventing one other “character” like KSI, is a neater battle and massive cash, however largely represents the top of any ghost of hope Paul ever pushes to compete as a higher-level skilled boxer.
While the primary battle with Fury was labeled “The Truth,” the final word fact might come from the route Paul decides to go following his first defeat.
