Tyson Fury appraises Jake Paul ahead of his fight with brother Tommy Fury; Fury says he's "in limbo like the rest of the world" as he waits for his next fight announcement
Sunday 29 January 2023 20:34, UK
Tyson Fury says his brother Tommy Fury cannot afford to be complacent when he fights social media personality Jake Paul next month.
Fury has never lost in his career and is the reigning WBC heavyweight champion of the world. But he did not discount Jake Paul's boxing ability.
"I think he's a decent boxer. A lot of people think he's just a YouTube person who doesn't know how to box but I've actually seen him training and I've actually seen his fights and I think he's decent," Fury told Sky Sports News.
"He's like a novice professional. He's only had six fights so he's exactly as good as he should be at this stage. He's not an Olympic boxer but then again neither am I."
He warned that his brother Tommy Fury can't take his February 26 bout with Paul lightly.
"He can't just go to the ice cream parlour and not train. He's got to really focus and have the right sparring and everything," Fury said. "He's got to take it really seriously.
"He's got to do the job when he's in there because it's not just the opponent. If you take the opponent out of the equation," he continued. "There's big pressure, a big stadium, top of the bill and all that sort of stuff.
"The thrills and spills of big-time boxing sometimes get to them so it's going to be interesting to see if Tommy can handle that pressure, which I know he can, but it's going to be interesting to see him do it in front of the world."
Fury is predicting a stoppage victory for his brother. "I think Tommy knocks him out inside six rounds," he said. "Tommy hits and hurts me and I'm 20 stone and six foot nine and the heavyweight champion of the world."
Fury defended his WBC heavyweight title in December when he beat Derek Chisora and is currently just waiting for confirmation of his next fight.
"I'm fantastic. I've had a good Christmas and New Year," he said. "I've been training and we're just waiting on an announcement.
"I'm in limbo like the rest of the world. I'm not interested in who, what, where or when. I just want to fight and that's it."
It's widely expected that his next bout will be the undisputed heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
"I think both of the fighters have agreed to the fight, I think the question is where the site will be," his US promoter Bob Arum told Sky Sports earlier. "That will be sorted out hopefully next week and we'll have an announcement shortly.
"If the fight goes to the Middle East it will be sometime after Ramadan and if the fight is in the UK it will be the beginning of April."
