By Craig Daly: WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has revealed that YouTuber Jake Paul will be given a ranking by the World Boxing Council if he defeats Tommy Fury this month in their eight round fight on February 26th at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
It’s a bit of a shock to imagine the 26-year-old Jake (6-0, 4 KOs) being on the verge of receiving a top 15 ranking at cruiserweight with the WBC because he’s not fought any professional boxers during his three-year pro career.
It’s pathetic to imagine Jake Paul being given a ranking by the WBC if he beats a mediocre part-time fighter like Tommy Fury. It’s the equivalent of the NFL letting a flag football team enter the league. Jake would look like an odd duck ranked in the WBC’s top 15.
WHEN IS THE PAUL VS. FURY FIGHT? DATE, START TIME
- Date: Sunday, February 26
- Main card: 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 10 p.m. GMT / 5 p.m. ET
- FITETV will broadcast in Europe, Asia, Canada, Brazil and India. Fans in the U.S. can purchase the fight live on ESPN+ PPV. UK fans meanwhile can watch the fight on BT Sport Box Office.
- The fight will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The main card is set to get underway at 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 10 p.m. GMT / 5 p.m. ET.
To be given a ranking by a sanctioning body, fighters should prove themselves against quality opposition, and unfortunately, Jake Paul has failed to do that. It doesn’t matter if Jake defeats Tommy Fury because he fits more into the celebrity/Youtuber boxer category than a true professional fighter.
The former Disney actor Jake’s wins have come against three MMA fighters, an ex-NBA player, and a social media influencer. Even if Jake defeats the 23-year-old Tommy Fury (8-0, 4 KOs), he’ll still not have fought anyone worthy of being ranked by the WBC at cruiserweight.
Tommy, one of the brothers of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is a British domestic-level fighter and not a talented one. He’s very, very average, and not surprisingly, he’s not faced anyone of note.
Jake Paul’s resume as a pro:
- Anderson Silva – MMA
- Tyrone Woodley x 2- MMA
- Ben Askren – MMA
- Nate Robinson – ex-NBA player
- Ali Eson Gib – social media influencer
“WBC President, Mauricio Sulaiman, confirms that if Jake Paul wins his upcoming bout against Tommy Fury, The WBC ratings committee will rank him in the Cruiserweight division,” per WBC.
“Jake has dedication and respect for the sport, and The WBC will not tolerate discrimination against anyone; he deserves the opportunities that any other boxer has.
“He demonstrated punching power and improved skills, as well as a solid chin. Tommy Fury represents a clear challenge to Paul.
“Jake has enrolled in the VADA testing Clean Boxing Program, which is yet another strong reason to support his stance as a boxer.”
You could take Jake Paul seriously as being worthy of receiving a top 15 ranking by the WBC if he beat one of these contenders:
- Yuniel Dorticos
- Mairis Briedis
- Ryan Rozicki
- Richard Riakporhe
Tommy Fury doesn’t seem like a real professional fighter, as he doesn’t seem to be taking his career seriously like other boxers.
Fury vs Paul Time
For United States viewers in the Eastern Time Zone, the main card starts at 2pm, and the Paul vs. Fury fight begins at 5pm.
For United Kingdom viewers, in Greenwich Mean Time, the main card starts at 7pm, and the Paul vs. Fury fight begins at 10pm.
However, in Saudi Arabia, the main card starts on Sunday at 10pm, meaning the Paul vs. Fury fight begins at 1am on Monday.
PAUL VS. FURY FIGHT CARD
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- LIVE ON ESPN+ PPV (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT)
• Jake Paul 183.6 lbs vs. Tommy Fury 184.5 lbs
(Cruiserweight — 8 Rounds)
• Ilunga Makabu 198.5 lbs vs. Badou Jack 199.8 lbs
(Makabu’s WBC Cruiserweight Title — 12 Rounds)
• Ziyad Almaayouf 145.6 lbs vs. Ronnald Martinez 142.5 lbs
(Welterweight — 4 Rounds)
• Muhsin Cason 199.1 lbs vs. Taryel Jafarov 200.5 lbs
(Cruiserweights — 8 Rounds)
• Bader Samreen 138 lbs vs. Viorel Simion 138.6 lbs
(Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)