Jake Paul’s war of words with Tyson Fury has continued after the YouTube star-turned boxer claimed that ‘The Gypsy King’ is afraid to face rivals Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
Paul and Fury were posting videos going back-and-forth on social media when ‘The Problem Child’ was set to face Fury’s half-brother, Tommy prior to the fight falling through after he was denied entry to the USA.
Paul, who will face replacement opponent Hasim Rahman Jr on August 6 at Madison Square Garden, live on SHOWTIME pay-per-view has taken aim at the WBC heavyweight world champion and insisted that he has single-handedly saved the sport.
Fury, who announced his retirement after beating Dillian Whyte in April, recently claimed that he would be willing to face Joshua for free at Wembley Stadium if he beats Usyk in their rematch on August 20.
“Boxing was such a dying sport before I came into it,” Paul told Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour.
“I literally saved the whole entire sport basically singlehandedly, along with some other heavyweights and some lightweights, but mostly because of me boxing was saved.
“Tyson Fury is afraid to fight Joshua. Tyson Fury is afraid to fight Usyk.
“Why hasn’t Gervonta [Davis] and Devin Haney fought? Why hasn’t Gervonta [Davis] and Ryan Garcia fought? Why aren’t these big fights happening?
“Because one of the parties is scared. Who knows which party it is, but this is why boxing is dying, because these fights aren’t mandatory.
“No one can force them to do these fights like they can in the UFC.”
Paul puts his undefeated record on the line against Rahman Jr, the son of former heavyweight world champion, Hasim Rahman.
The 25-year-old says he is looking to silence the doubters by fighting his first recognised professional boxer having previously faced fellow YouTube sensation, AnEsonGib, former NBA star, Nate Robinson and two ex-UFC fighters in Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
“I want Anderson Silva, I want these guys.
“But first I need to check off the list a professional boxer.
“I want a professional boxer, I need a professional boxer, because that’s been the number one criticism is, ‘fight a real boxer,’ ok here we go.
“He has a name, he’s big, he’s 12-1 and he’s still not old.
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“I don’t want to beat someone who’s old and everyone’s like, ‘oh you just beat him because he’s old.’
“So this guy’s in his prime, he’s bigger than me, he’s got a good record, he’s more experienced than me.
“He switches southpaw which is another big risk and another big task and challenge that I’m taking on going up against my first southpaw.”
