After being announced back in June, the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight scheduled for Aug. 6 has been canceled.
Thanks to a US visa issue with boxer Fury, is unable to compete against Paul at Madison Square Garden as originally planned. He had been given a deadline of Wednesday to figure out his issues but couldn't make that deadline.
Fury released a statement on Instagram, addressing the bout's cancellation.
"I'm gutted and disappointed in regards to the issues I have faced with entry into the USA," he said. "This is something that myself or my team could have never anticipated happening. This situation has been left with my lawyers as being denied entry to a country is obviously a very serious issue and it needs to subsequently be resolved.
"I am confident this fight will happen when this issue gets resolved and we come to a solution. I want to clarify that I will fight in a neutral country that both parties can enter. This can be anytime, any place, anywhere."
Earlier in July, Fury went into detail regarding the original problems with travel to the US. He arrived at London's Heathrow Airport to travel for a press conference but was told his Electronic System for Travel Authorization had been denied.
"I got pulled to one side and I was told by the homeland security that my ESTA had been denied and I wasn't able to travel to the USA for a reason that I apparently know." Fury said on Instagram. "I can stand here and say I've done absolutely nothing wrong and I have no clue why I'm not allowed to travel to the USA."
Back then, in response, Paul claimed Fury was trying to "weasel" his way out of the fight. "My team and my partners have made it clear the steps you need to take to solve your latest excuse," Paul tweeted. "Take them or admit you're a scared little bitch."
More recently, Paul has said he and his team were moving on from the fight and potentially looking at other opponents.
"Tommy Fury is in hiding," he tweeted. "Instructed my team to do a Hova and move On To The Next One."
Recent reports said Hasim Rahman Jr., the son of former boxing champ Hasim Rahman, is a possible opponent.
Both Paul and Fury had officially announced news of the upcoming fight over social media on July 23.
Fury was supposed to be Paul's opponent in his last fight, which was set to take place in December. After suffering a broken rib, Fury was forced to pull out and was replaced by former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
That fight was a rematch of an earlier contest between the two. Paul put an exclamation mark on their second meeting, knocking Woodley out in spectacular fashion in the sixth round.
But since then -- and before then -- people have been begging Paul to fight a "real" boxer. Up to this point, Paul has faced a mix of YouTubers and ex-MMA fighters. As an 8-0 up-and-coming fighter, Fury was expected to be that "real" boxer and would have most likely represented Paul's toughest test in the ring to date.
Who is Tommy Fury?
Fury is a young pro boxer with a famous last name. He's the half brother of the current heavyweight champ Tyson Fury. He's also famous in the UK for starring in Love Island, a reality TV show where contestants have to couple up in order to avoid elimination. The show is huge in the UK.
Who is Jake Paul?
You're probably aware of Paul, the social media personality who first made it big on Vine before moving across to every platform in existence. He's moved into boxing in recent years after fighting on the undercard of brother Logan Paul's viral boxing match with UK YouTuber KSI. He showed a talent for boxing and has been fighting ever since.
Paul has also moved into promotion, co-promoting a huge fight between Ireland's Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which was one of the biggest female boxing matches of all time.
Paul seems to get the public's perception of his boxing career, and posted a pretty self aware (and funny) TikTok about his upcoming fight with Fury.
@jakepaul you guys bullied me into this… not cool.
♬ original sound - Jake Paul
Tommy Fury out, Tyron Woodley in on Dec. 18.
The highly anticipated grudge match between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and light heavyweight Tommy Fury is now off, with Paul announcing the news Monday morning. Instead, Paul will turn to a rematch with Tyron Woodley, whom he defeated via split decision in August.
MORE: Gervonta Davis ekes by Isaac Cruz
Fury made his U.S. debut on the Paul-Woodley undercard in August and was gearing up for a battle with Paul after a harsh war of words in recent months. Now, he'll have to wait for his shot.
Paul, undefeated, last defeated former MMA fighter Woodley in August, his highest-profile fight to date.
Here's what happened:
Why did Tommy Fury pull out of the Jake Paul fight?
On Dec. 6, Jake Paul announced that Fury pulled out of their upcoming Dec. 18 fight because of a "medical issue." Paul took to Twitter to announce the news.
(Editor's note: Video contains NSFW language.)
Tommy Fury has pulled out of the fight due to a “medical condition” and Tyron Woodley is stepping in for December 18th for the official rematch. pic.twitter.com/t1OFVQQBBt
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) December 6, 2021
"It is official: Tommy Fury is boxing's biggest b—," Paul said Monday. "He has pulled out of the fight — the Furys have pulled out of the fight due to a medical condition. Who knows what the f— is going on in that camp."
As it turns out, Fury did have a fairly bacterial infection. Fury says that his weakened state from the sickness left his body frail, and ended up with getting a broken rib and multiple fractures.
The news of Fury pulling out of the fight came in the wake of promoter Frank Warren saying he had come down with a bit of a "cold" a few weeks ago. Fury said he had been sick for roughly a month.
"Tommy had a little bit of a cold but hopefully he is going to be OK," Warren said recently. "We are up in Morecambe so hopefully we will know more then, but he is up for it and he wants to fight."
Breaking: Tommy Fury has pulled out of Dec. 18 Showtime PPV fight with @jakepaul, who will instead face @TWooodley in a rematch. Per announcement, Fury is out "due to a medical issue that impacted his training camp." #boxing #PaulWoodley2 #PaulFury
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) December 6, 2021
Fury and Paul have been feuding in recent months, leading to their fight being inked and set for a Dec. 18 showdown. Paul, instead, turns his sights on a rematch with Woodley. The first fight went to Paul in a split-decision victory, keeping him undefeated in his pro career.
Fury, also undefeated, last defeated Anthony Taylor on the Paul-Woodley undercard in August. The bout was signed and sealed on Oct. 29, but will have to be delivered at a later date.
Author(s)
Joe Rivera is a senior content producer at The Sporting News and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater, Rutgers University.