This is a column by Morgan Campbell, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section , please see the FAQ . First, let's squash any lingering confusion: Jake Paul is a real boxer.
Period. This isn't a title boxing writers and other sweet science lifers bestowed upon Paul because he showed heart in dropping an eight-round decision to Tommy Fury, in the main event of a pay-per-view card in Saudi Arabia last Sunday.
That bout, objectively, was not close. Fury, a reality TV star from a boxing family, outclassed Paul, a social media celebrity who now boxes.
He landed more often, with more authority, while Paul struggled to adjust to Fury's length, and the tempo he set. If anything, Sunday night's loss highlighted the limitations in Paul's skill set and business model.