Jake Paul: Tommy Fury can't afford to withdraw from the bout again now that he's a father
On February 26, rivals Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to put an end to their long-running animosity. The fight was scheduled twice in the past, but fell through on both occasions.
The match was originally slated for December 2021, however Fury withdrew due to a chest illness and a damaged rib. Fury was replaced by former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, who was knocked out cold by Paul within a few months of their initial bout.
Prior to the bout being announced, Jake Paul revealed that Fury was offered substantial pay to fight him, but the British boxer continues to avoid the fight. Now that the bout has been confirmed, Paul said during the first press conference that Fury cannot afford to back out for a third time since he is a new father:
"Him [Fury] now showing up to the face-to-face we were supposed to do right now, it sucks. The kid's not necessarily reliable. But the money's good for him. So it would just be so dumb. And I think he's probably tired of Molly [Fury's girlfriend] making all the money in the relationship. He's got a kid now and he needs to help pay for some diapers."
Fury and his partner met in 2019 on Love Island and made headlines when they revealed they were expecting their first child, a baby girl. Molly-Mae has been updating fans on her pregnancy, and it appears that Jake Paul may have broken the news before the couple could.
Catch Jake Paul's comments (3:40) below:
Jake Paul confirms Mike Perry will serve as the back-up fighter in case Tommy Fury pulls out
The Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury bout will take place at a catchweight of 185 pounds and has a rematch clause in Paul's favor.
Concerns that Fury will pull out of the match for a third time prompted Paul to organize bare-knuckle boxer and ex-UFC star Mike Perry as a replacement for the Brit in a press conference for the fight.
Tommy Fury was a face-to-face no show 🫠 (via @jakepaul) https://t.co/eoEqRF9adG
Perry fought 15 times in the UFC and was considered a prospective contender at welterweight, but after a spate of defeats, he left the promotion within two years. Perry has subsequently transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing promotion BKFC, most recently defeating former Bellator champion Michael 'Venom' Page via decision.
Paul addressed Perry's involvement in the event during a press conference last weekend, stating:
“Yeah we have Mike Perry on standby. Let’s go, Mike Perry! Yeah, he’s ready to jump in case Tommy pulls out.”
Jake Paul has revealed that Mike Perry is the standby opponent ready to jump in and fight him on Feb 26th if Tommy Fury pulls out again.