Tommy Fury earned a split-decision victory against social media influencer Jake Paul on Sunday, handing the YouTuber-turned-boxer his first defeat.
Fury, the half-brother of heavyweight Tyson Fury, won the eight-round cruiserweight fight in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Two of the judges gave Fury the decision by a 76-73 margin, while the third judge had Paul ahead 75-74, ESPN reported.
Paul (6-1) scored a knockdown in the final round, but Fury (9-0) was consistently on the mark throughout the fight to earn the closely contested victory.
“Tonight, I make my own legacy,” Fury said after the bout. “I am Tommy Fury.
“This is my first main event. I’m only gonna go stronger, I’m gonna go bigger, I’m only gonna go better. If he wants a rematch, bring it on.”
After both fighters were warned several times for clinching, the referee deducted a point from Paul in the fifth round, CBS Sports reported. Fury was assessed a one-point penalty for the same violation in the sixth round, according to the sports website.
Fury, 23, a reality television star from the United Kingdom, was facing his first big-name opponent, ESPN reported.
Paul, 26, of Cleveland, has defeated MMA stars Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren, according to the sports network.
“I’ve already won in life,” Paul said after the bout. “I’ve won in every single way. I have an amazing family, amazing friends, amazing work ethic. I made it farther than I ever thought I would and beyond. This is a humbling experience. I’ll take it on the chin and come back.”
The match attracted celebrities like Kevin Hart, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mike Tyson, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, ESPN reported.
“Don’t judge me by my wins, judge me by my losses,” Paul tweeted. “Congrats to Tommy, his team and his family.