Israel Adesanya didn’t agree with the decision in this past weekend’s (Feb. 26, 2023) Jake Paul versus Tommy Fury boxing match.
Both boxers entered the bout with undefeated records, so barring a draw, someone’s zero had to go. Unfortunately for “The Problem Child,” Paul, it was his, as Fury (9-0) earned the split decision (watch highlights) in the often-attempted Saudi Arabia match up.
While Paul came on strong late in the match, his best efforts ultimately weren’t enough to keep him unbeaten in seven straight outings. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion, Adesanya, was on the side of Paul as the victor, but admits the result was no robbery.
“I don’t have anything insightful to say, but like, from where I was sitting, I thought Jake edged it out,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “But you know, boxing, man. Boxing. He’ll be back.
“It was a close fight,” he added. “Also, good for Tommy as well. His moment, now he gets to come out of his brother’s shadow, keep his family name going through the years of trying to get this fight together. Back and forth, blah, blah, blah. That feeling right there? That’s feeling is priceless. You can’t buy that feeling. Congrats to him and what Jake said. Don’t judge a man by his wins, judge him by his losses and how he comes back.”
Paul already has redemption on his mind, calling for a rematch with Fury. Meanwhile, Adesanya is in the process of preparing to achieve the same when once again facing longtime rival, Alex Pereira, in the UFC 287 main event on April 8, 2023, in Miami, Florida.