Tommy Fury hands Jake Paul first loss with split-decision win

Jake Paul's unbeaten streak in boxing has come to an end.

Tommy Fury, the half-brother of heavyweight great Tyson, beat Paul, the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter, via split decision (74-75, 76-73, 76-73) in a close bout Sunday in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

Fury landed the cleaner shots throughout the fight, but Paul came back with a knockdown in the eighth and final round to make things extremely tight.

«Tonight, I make my own legacy,» Fury said. «I am Tommy Fury.»

The bout was put together twice before, but canceled each time. The two were supposed to fight in December 2021 and again in August 2022, but Fury had an injury and health issues the first time and travel woes the second time.

The two have gone hard at each other in interviews and on social media after the last two-plus years heading into the grudge match. Paul is most known for his social media exploits, but he has taken the boxing world by storm over the last three years, becoming a featured attraction in the ring.

Fury, a reality show star in the United Kingdom, was his toughest and most experienced opponent in boxing by a wide margin. Paul was a slight favorite.

«This is my first main event,» Fury said. «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.»

Paul had a rematch clause in the contract and intimated he would use it. He said he thought he won the fight and didn't agree with the scores. Paul added that he had a health issue in training camp and was dealing with an arm injury.

«I've already won in life,» Paul said. «I've won in every single way. I have an amazing family, amazing friends, amazing work ethic. I made it father than I ever thought I would and beyond. This is a humbling experience.