It seems that Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury fight might only remain as a thing of discussion on paper as the bout between the two celebrity boxers has been called off for a second time, and “The Problem Child” has reportedly inked a deal to face heavyweight pro boxer Hasim Rahman Jr on 6th August.
Rahman Jr, Jake Paul’s former training partner, replaces Tommy Fury after the latter was denied US entry
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury had their faceoff scrapped for the first time back in December last year when “TNT” pulled out citing chest infection and rib fracture and was replaced by Tyron Woodley. After much back and forth in the following months, the fight was then rebooked for 6th August at the MSG.
Unfortunately last week, Fury was not granted entry into the United States ahead of the press conference, due to the Fury family’s links with crime boss Daniel Kinahan and the country has imposed a travel ban on all fighters, managers and promoters who have had ties with Kinahan.
“Me and my team this morning arrived at Heathrow Airport ready for the press conference, ready to fly out,” Fury said in a video, “And as soon as I entered the airport I got pulled to one side and I was told by the Homeland Security officer that was there that my ESTA had been denied and I wasn’t able to travel to the USA for a reason that I apparently know.”
“I can stand here and I say I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong and I have no clue why I’m not allowed to travel to the USA. I’ve been training for a fight this whole time and that’s all I’ve been doing. I have no clue why they would not allow me to travel today and neither does any of my team or my lawyers,” the Briton added. [H/T BJPenn.com]
In the meantime, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported that Tommy Fury has been replaced once again and this time, Paul will be up against Hasim Rahman Jr, a pro boxer out of Baltimore, Maryland, and the son of former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.
Jake Paul is finalizing a deal to face Hasim Rahman Jr. on August 6th, sources familiar with the negotiations told @SInow. Rahman (12-1) is the son of ex-heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman. Paul pivoting away from Tommy Fury, who was denied entry into the U.S. last week.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 6, 2022
Rahman Jr, a former training partner of Paul, has a pro record of 12-1 and was last seen in action against James McKenzie Morrison on 29th April for the vacant World Boxing Council United States (USNBC) Heavyweight Title, which marked his first professional defeat via TKO.
“I kind of expected the same thing that I boxed the first time and that’s not what I got,” Rahman said in an interview with Sky Sports, “I got somebody that had a better right hand, I had somebody that was actually stepping in with the jab. The best thing about it is – I had somebody that could control his distance. The first time he couldn’t really do anything like that. He was really just fighting. I could just tell that he had heart. Now he’s using his distance better, he’s actually stepping into his jab, instead of just putting it there, and he’s throwing a good one-two.”
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