It was easy enough to forget that Paul and Danis were not the headliners of what was being called The PRIME Card, after the sports drink launched by now WWE star Logan Paul and fellow social media star KSI. They stole most of the thunder, with KSI vs. Tommy Fury a distant second. That was thanks in part to Danis, who plagued Paul and fiancee Nina Agdal, going so far as to release images that Agdal, now suing the jiu-jitsu star turned boxer, claims are revenge porn, and which Danis insists were already publicly available on the internet.

That court battle will wait, the battle in the ring arrives on Saturday, as Danis makes his boxing debut against Paul, who has dabbled in the sport in matches with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and KSI. To add to the promotional “flair,” Paul brought disgraced former NBC personality Chris Hansen to a press event in the past week, and BJJ star Gordan Ryan to weigh-ins, admittedly as protection. That, after Paul and Danis exchanged blows, or more accurately throws, on stage in a scene that saw Paul cut when Danis hit him with a microphone. The water bottle thrown by Paul, that sparked the altercation, did far less damage, so score one for Danis, who is a heavy underdog in the actual bout.

In short, ladies and gents, the circus is in town, one night only, October 14, 2023, live from Manchester, England. Full results from the social media-laden card can be found below. Prelims can be viewed free below, while the main card is available via DAZN PPV. It all kicks off at 2PM ET.

Misfits Boxing: The PRIME Card Results

Main Card (DAZN PPV)

Tommy Fury def. KSI by majority decision (57-57, 57-56, 57-56)
Logan Paul def. Dillon Danis by DQ, Round 6 [Full recap]
Slim def. Salt Papi by TKO, Round 4, 2:54 — for the vacant Misfits Boxing middleweight championship
Deen the Great (c) def. Walid Sharks by unanimous decision (49-44, 49-44, 48-45) — for the Misfits Boxing lightweight championship
Anthony Taylor def. King Kenny by unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45) — for the Misfits Boxing light heavyweight championship
My Mate Nate def. Whindersson Nunes Batista by unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Nichlmao & Alex Wassabi vs. Lucas Pineda & B Dave ends in a split draw (39-37, 37-39, 38-38) — tag team boxing

Preliminary Card

Ed Matthews def. Swarmz by KO, Round 1, 0:30
Tempo Arts def. Chase DeMoor by split decision (39-37, 39-27, 37-39)
Astrid Wett def. Alexia Grace by unanimous decision (28-28, 30-26, 30-26)
DTG def. S-X by TKO, Round 1, 1:59

The post Misfits Boxing: The PRIME Card Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

The boxing spectacle saw two undefeated boxers with, to be blunt, questionable records face off. While the selling point of the match-up was Youtuber Paul finally facing a “boxer,” the padding on Fury’s record could stuff a mattress, with foam left over for a pillow or two.

To put that in perspective, Fury’s debut opponent as a pro had a record of 10-102-3 when they met. He would go on to face foes with records of 0-26-2, 2-26, and 0-11, and had only faced two opponents with winning records through his first eight fights. Jake Paul would represent the third.

Of course, Paul still had yet to face a boxer in his boxing career, instead fighting mostly retired mixed martial artists and fellow high-profile social media names. Making Fury, half-brother of heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury, the toughest test of his short career nonetheless.

The Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury card will air live on PPV via ESPN+ in the U.S., and Fite.tv elsewhere. The event goes down at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on Feb. 26, 2023 with the PPV card getting underway at 2PM ET. Full results can be found below.

Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury Results

Main Card

Tommy Fury def. Jake Paul by split decision (74-75, 76-73, 76-73)
Badou Jack def. Ilunga Makabu (c) by TKO, Round 12, 0:54 — for the WBC cruiserweight title
Ziyad Almaayouf def. Ronald Martinez by unanimous decision (38-37, 38-37, 38-37)
Muhsin Cason def. Taryel Jafarov by TKO (injury), Round 1, 5:00.
Bader Samreen def. Viorel Simion by TKO, Round 1, 1:26.

Preliminary Card

Zad Al-Majrashi def. Philip Quansah by decision
Salman Hamada def. Daniel Plange by TKO, Round 1, 1:09
Adam Saleh def. Stuart Kellogg by TKO, Round 1
Ragad Al Naimi def. Perpetual Okaijah by TKO, Round 3, 1:47

The post Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Paul and Fury had been scheduled to face off twice before, only for the bout to fall through.

Their original meeting in December 2021 saw Fury pull out due to medical reasons; he was replaced by Tyron Woodley. A second go with Fury was booked last August for Madison Square Garden in New York, only for the entire card to be cancelled when Fury couldn’t make it into the country — potentially over ties to fugitive Irish mobster Daniel Kinahan, founder of sports management firm MTK Global — and replacement Hasim Rahman Jr. encountered weight struggles.

To ensure the match goes down without further issue, Paul vs. Fury will take place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on February 26.

At a press conference ahead of the card on Thursday, Paul issued his latest challenge — and managed to get Fury to accept.

After Fury claimed he’d was “ready to put this all to bed” and would stop Paui early, the Youtuber fired back with his offer.

“You’re getting put to sleep inside four rounds,” exclaimed Fury. “Let me tell you. I’m not an old man here, I’m a fresh young fighter. I’m gonna put you away. You had two very lucky escapes from this fight. You should have took the escapes, you should not be sitting here right now because this is bad for you. You’ve blown your ticket. You should have stuck to making easy money fighting old men, celebrities. I’m coming to take your head off.”

“I think we make a deal, since you’re so confident,” Paul answered back. “I think we make a deal. If you win, I’ll pay you double what I’m paying you already. But if I win, I take everything that I’m paying you.”

Double or nothing, in other words. “Delicious,” said Fury. Paul insisted on shaking hands on the bet, while Fury’s father answered for him. “You’ve got a deal. All or nothing. All or nothing. You’ve got it.”

“Just to confirm, can we have this in writing, please, as well?” the elder Fury added. “Because you know what? Thank you Jake, you’re making our night and stay even better.”

Whether they get it in writing or not, Tommy Fury did agree to the bet. John Fury, meanwhile, stated what most boxing fans are no doubt thinking: “If Jake Paul beats Tommy Fury, Tommy Fury don’t deserve paying.”

The post Double or Nothing: Tommy Fury Shakes on Jake Paul’s Latest Bet appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jose Aldo Is Undefeated

As a professional boxer, that is. Aldo made his boxing debut Friday at a Shoot Brazil Boxing event that aired live on UFC Fight Pass. With a second match already booked for Gamebred Boxing in April, Aldo had a fair amount of attention on him as he took on the little-known (okay, unknown) Alberto Emmanuel Zambrano.

“Scarface” did not disappoint. He cruised past Zambrano, earning a unanimous decision win, with only one judge scoring even a single round for Aldo’s opponent.

Death, taxes, whiffing on punches against Jose Aldo#ShootoBoxing pic.twitter.com/5LwAFJXvtP

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 11, 2023

Onward and upward. Aldo is already talking about an exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Khamzat Doesn’t Fear “The Reaper,” Wants Whittaker Next

Khamzat Chimaev is chasing a fight with Robert Whittaker, after a potential match-up with Paulo Costa fell through.

“Borz” is billing this as good guy vs. bad guy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoZfyC0BoCZ/

Power Slap Ratings Continue to Tank

Power Slap really only gets mentioned in this column (and essentially nowhere else in this publication) because it’s not MMA-related. It’s barely a sport, and not a very interesting one at that. But what is notable is the amount of time the UFC has spent pushing it through their social media channels — with little to show for it, at least in terms of ratings.

Slap fighting is a sport almost designed for social media — a brief clip of a hard slap can bring the usual ‘ohhs and ahhs’ from scrollers, but does anyone want to sit through an hour-long show of it, including a TUF-style format? Apparently not. The latest Power Slap ratings hit a new low, with the episode losing roughly two thirds of its lead-in on TBS, AEW Dynamite.

The show didn’t even crack the cable top 60 for the night. #68 overall for the week, in fact (via Showbuzz Daily).

We’re not doing a weekly update on this; we haven’t really mentioned Power Slap much since week one, when there was a firestorm of controversy following UFC President Dana White slapping his wife, resulting in the show being pushed back a week. But if ratings continue at this rate, don’t expect to find Power Slap on the TBS calendar next year.

Dillon Danis Did It First

Tommy Fury failed to show up for his pre-fight press conference with Jake Paul. The pair allegedly fight later this month, though Mike Perry has been called in as a back-up fighter.

Quite frankly, Dillon Danis was no-showing press conferences before it was cool. Like, last month.

Okay fine. It was never cool. But it feels like these celebrity boxing bouts get more coverage when things go sideways than when they actually go according to plan. So we figure there’s a good chance it will be Perry in action on Feb. 26. Which might be a more entertaining fight, frankly.

Diaz Camp Responds to Chimaev’s UFC 279 Claims

Khamzat Chimaev recently claimed that Nate Diaz was offered millions to stay in their fight at UFC 279, despite Chimaev badly missing weight. Even though he was the villain of the piece, Khamzat has claimed that a real-life villain, Ramzan Kadyrov, offered Diaz $2 million to stay in the fight.

Is that in Chechen currency, Monopoly money, or U.S. dollars? In any case, a Diaz rep told ESPN the story was a “fairy tale.”

“It is fun fiction for Khamzat. Just lacks a shred of truth, including what he was supposed to make,” wrote Zach Rosenfield in a statement to the outlet. “At what point in Khamzat’s fairy tail (sic) did he ask Nate? When he tapped out of his weight cut at 2am? When he was being hold in isolation at the UFC PI so the story wouldn’t get out? The only millions that were negotiated on that Friday were the millions more we got for fighting Tony [Ferguson] after Khamzat was no professional enough to show up for the fight we asked.

Nate Diaz rep Zach Rosenfield sent ESPN a statement on Khamzat Chimaev’s claims that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov offered Diaz $2 million to take the Chimaev fight back in September after Chimaev missed weight pic.twitter.com/Xu1kF59iuh

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) February 11, 2023

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Khamzat Doesn’t Fear “The Reaper,” Aldo Wins Boxing Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

The pair, who have been booked opposite each other twice previously, are expected to finally face off on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 26, 2023. Just in case the fight falls through for a third time, however, Paul has tapped UFC alum Mike Perry as a back-up.

“A part of me definitely still doubts. And it’s scary and it’s annoying, and him not showing up to the face-to-face we were just supposed to do right now, it sucks, and the kid’s not necessarily reliable,” Paul said in regards to Tommy Fury repeatedly pulling out, not to mention no-showing a face-off, at Saturday’s press conference promoting the event. “But the money’s good for him, so it would just be so dumb [for him to pull out of the fight].”

“We have Mike Perry on standby,” Paul later added. “Let’s go, Mike Perry! He’s ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out.”

Paul has made a career out of boxing retired mixed martial artists and fellow Youtube creators thus far in his combat sports endeavour. Fury, younger brother of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, represents his first match-up with an actual boxer, an undefeated one at that.

Fury’s resume, mind you, sports a number of opponents with questionable records. The boxer’s first five opponents had a combined record of 12-174-5 at the time he competed against them. Genadij Krajevskij, who Fury fought in his fourth professional bout in 2020, went on amass an 0-46 record, going a total of 184 rounds in that span. He already has three fights booked for 2023.

In other words, Paul likely fought better competition in the form of Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva than Fury has faced thus far in his professional career.

As for Mike Perry, since exiting the UFC, he’s picked up a pair of wins in bare-knuckle boxing under the BKFC banner, while also scoring a win in Triad Combat. Notably, he got the better of Michael “Venom” Page in BKFC later year, with Page on loan from Bellator MMA.

The post Mike Perry Set as Back-Up Fighter for Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury Boxing Spectacle appeared first on Cageside Press.

His opponent is a name most fight fans will be familiar with: Tommy Fury. And this time, it might actually happen.

Paul vs. Fury is expected to take place on February 25, 2023, reportedly in Saudi Arabia. Boxing Kingdom was first to report the match-up being signed.

The pair have been lined up twice before: initially, Paul was to face Fury, the first actual boxer the Youtuber has attempted to compete against, in December 2021. However, when Fury pulled out due to medical reasons, Tyron Woodley, former UFC welterweight champion, instead fought Paul for a second time, losing decisively by knockout.

The bout was again lined up for Madison Square Garden in New York City last August. Again, Fury pulled out of the fight, after reportedly running into complications entering the U.S. Those complications were potentially due to links to Daniel Kinahan, a wanted fugitive and head of Ireland’s Kinahan cartel. Kinahan had helped found MTK Global, a management firm that boasted heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Tommy’s brother, among its clientele.

Paul appears to be hoping the third time is the charm, and hosting the fight in the middle east at least eliminates the issue of Tommy Fury being granted access to America.

Fury is 8-0 as a professional boxer. Paul is 6-0, though his level of competition has mainly been made up of aging former MMA stars.

The post Third Attempt at Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury Boxing Match Booked for Feb. 25 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Post-Fight Brawl Erupts at Indian MMA Event, Fighter Injured, Charges Pressed

Matrix Fight Night 9 in New Delhi would likely barely have registered as more than a blip on the MMA map, where it not for some seriously bad behavior outside of the cage.

The event took place on June 24, but reports only began to surface a few days later regarding a post-fight brawl that left a fighter hospitalized, and led the promotion to ban Afghan fighters.

Srikant Sekhar, a local talent who had won earlier at the event against Sumeet Khade, had stuck around to support a teammate, per a report by MMA Fighting. Sekhar had called out Zahor Shah, a former foe and Afghan fighter, after his win. Shah was also on the card, fighting Seth Rosadio, Sekhar’s teammate. That led to some Afghan spectators allegedly harassing Sekhar during the bout; Sekhar admittedly told them “f*ck you.” Things got worse when another fighter from Afghanistan, Abdul Azim Badakhshi, allegedly sucker-punched Sekhar.

At that point, a brawl erupted. Sekhar stated he was assaulted and chased from the venue by dozens of people, with police saving the day. He landed in hospital, with a broken jaw and ruptured eardrum.

“I think they didn’t like me, and at the same time Zahor was also losing,” Sekhar told MMA Fighting. “They couldn’t take it. I ignored that fact and started cheering for Seth as he was getting the finish, and again someone from the crowd threw paper garbage or plastic at me and they were showing middle fingers and looking at me, pointing at me out and mocking me. I got pissed on this bunch and said to them, ‘f*ck you,’ and flipped back.”

Sekhar noted that officials intervened when the crowd began throwing objects, only to be assaulted themselves, along with Sekhar’s teammates.

Badakhshi is facing criminal charges, while the promotion has issued a statement saying that “no Afghan fighter will ever feature on an MFN card again. There is no sport like MMA, and any kind of disrespect and hooliganism will not be tolerated by us.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfTmtrrvZs3/

Tommy Fury Denied Entry to U.S. Due to Family Ties with Gangster Kinahan

The fallout from the U.S. bounty on Daniel Kinahan has snared boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

That may put the planned August 6 boxing bout between Fury and Jake Paul in danger.

According to a report by TMZ, Fury was denied entry to the U.S. by Homeland Security this past week, ahead of a planned press conference promoting the fight.

While Tommy Fury doesn’t have any known direct links to Kinahan, who has a $5,000,000 bounty on him for drugs and firearm trafficking, Tyson Fury was formerly managed by MTK Global. Kinahan was one of the company’s founders, although they cut ties with him in 2017 as allegations of drug trafficking and murder swirled.

MTK Global shut down earlier this year, but it seems the feds are going to make life difficult for anyone even remotely connected to the outfit.

Civil Suit Launched Against Target of Velasquez Attack

The target of Cain Velasquez’s rampage earlier this year, who himself is alleged to have abused a family member of the former UFC champion, is being sued.

Harry Goularte, his mother, stepfather (also a victim in the Velasquez attack), and Patty’s Childcare are all the target of a civil suit, representing the victim in the abuse case. Goularte was (and still is) on bail when Velasquez allegedly attempted to murder him, shooting into a vehicle containing Goularte and his stepfather, and wounding the elder man during a high-speed chase.

The suit, obtained by MMA Junkie, alleges that adequate supervision and care to the alleged victim were not provided by the daycare and its owners.

Attorney Warren Paboojian, representing the unnamed complainant in the civil case, wrote in a statement that “The defendant should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. His terrible criminal acts of abusing (my) client should (receive) the harshest criminal punishment available by law. The daycare facility should never operate again. And the owner should be held accountable both civilly and criminally for her neglect. This daycare has a history of neglect when it comes to following state laws pertaining to child safety and care.”

Joanne Wood Taking a Break from MMA, Plans to Resume Career in 2023

Fan favorite Joanne Wood of Syndicate MMA is taking a break from competition.

Social media denizens noticed Wood’s name removed from the UFC’s ranking pool recently, but no, she has not been cut by the promotion. Instead, Wood posted an explanation on Instagram, which boils down to, injuries and some fights not going her way have led her to take some time off.

“I’ve let the UFC know that I want to take the rest of the year off. I had a hard go at trying to stay active there for a bit and between injuries and it not going my way I’ve decided that I need to take some time away from fighting. I am not retired nor am I done, this is far from the end,” Wood wrote.

Her full statement can be read below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfManiYrHpa/

CSAC Moves to Add MMA Fighters to Pension Fund

The California State Athletic Commission is formed a subcommittee to review adding mixed martial artists who compete in the state to the state’s pension program, which currently covers retired boxers.

The pension is available to boxers after they turn 50, with 75 rounds scheduled in the state of California during their career.

MMA Fighting was first to report the news.

The subcommittee will review proposals tabled by CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster this past Tuesday. The commission will need to convince legislators in the state to sponsor and pass in bill in the 2023 legislative session.

The current pension is paid for by a tax on tickets, at 88 cents per ticket and capped at $4,600 per event. Foster is in favor of raising the amount for larger promotions, i.e. the UFC.

“It might make our state more competitive for fighters to want to be here,” Foster suggested.

Hall of Fame Highlights

We caught up with Megan Olivi at the UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, who reflected on some of the iconic UFC moments she’s witnessed over the years.

Jon Anik, meanwhile, represented the late Suzy Friton at the induction ceremony. Fellow UFC broadcaster Laura Sanko fashioned a scarf into a flower, which Anik wore on his lapel in memory of the makeup artist.

Friton, who twice beat breast cancer in her lifetime, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2020, and passed away last September. She touched the lives of many, which is clear from this great collection of tributes to her memory over at MMA Junkie.

McMahon Family Attends UFC 276

On a night where two fighters walked out to WWE entrance themes, the McMahon family — Vince, Stephanie, and Triple H, plus WWE announcer Pat McAfee — turned up at UFC 276 in Las Vegas.

Considering WWE’s Money in the Bank event aired the same night, they must have made a b-line after their own show to catch the fights, and to see Israel Adesanya walk out to The Undertaker’s theme, hat, urn and all.

Vince McMahon on UFC. Wow, what a time to be alive pic.twitter.com/2uv4vahWyX

— Troydan (@Troydan) July 3, 2022

Earlier in the night, Jessica-Rose Clark walked out to “Sexy Boy,” Shawn Michaels’ walkout track. But there was no topping Izzy as the “dead man.”

Ready to make middleweights…rest…in…peace…. ⚱️🪦@Stylebender pays homage to @Undertaker with his #UFC276 entrance! pic.twitter.com/yhKl7807QA

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 3, 2022

Cageside Live Looks at Whether Volkanovski Should Test the Waters at 155

Should Alexander Volkanovski, who walked around at 200+ pounds as a Rugby player, test the waters at 155 in the UFC? That and more in the latest Cageside Live!

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Post-Fight Brawl, JoJo Taking a Break, Undertaker Izzy appeared first on Cageside Press.

“The Problem Child” has graduated to facing bonafide pugilists.  On Friday afternoon it was announced that a fight between social media sensation Jake Paul would be taken on undefeated prospect Tommy Fury on December 18 in Tampa, Florida.  ESPN was first to report the news.

It’s official. Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury is set for Dec. 18 in Tampa, Florida. A boxing bout contested at 192 pounds and contracted for eight, three-minute rounds. More coming to @ESPNRingside pic.twitter.com/MUvkrms0Cr

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 29, 2021

Paul (3-0) has spent the last twelve months building himself up as public enemy number one to mixed martial arts, with a pair of victories over the likes of former champions Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren following up his viral knockout of former NBA player Nate Robinson.  Following a successful career as an actor and digital content creator, Paul is credited with being the catalyst for the latest trend in showcase bouts receiving widespread attention as both older fighters and other entertainment personalities alike have cashed in on entering the ring in the months since his lucrative bout with Askren in April.

Fury (7-0) is an up-and-coming prospect who became a crossover star after appearing on the highly popular reality dating show Love Island where he met his partner Molly-Mae Hague.  He is also the half-brother of current WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.  A professional boxer since 2018, “TNT” has finished five of his seven bouts and in August defeated Paul’s training partner Anthony Taylor on the undercard of Paul’s bout with Woodley.  Notably, Fury is  six feet tall and competes at 180 pounds which makes him bigger than all of Paul’s previous opponents.

The bout is scheduled to take place at the Amelie Arena in Tampa, Florida.  No bouts for the undercard were announced, although ESPN reports that featherweight champion Amanda Serrano is expected to be the co-headliner.

The post Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury Set for December 18 in Tampa, Florida appeared first on Cageside Press.

Is Jake Paul’s assault on the MMA world over?

After thoroughly routing a respected veteran in Tyron Woodley, “The Problem Child” appears to have exhausted the storyline of fighting past their prime MMA fighters.  While it is an approach that has made him a major talking point in 2021, asking fans to pay their hard earned money to see a similar bout in the near future is unlikely to happen.  Like any fighter, fans will want to see someone push him to the limit.  Or in his self-created case, see him face a mountain that he can not overcome.

Hit list. pic.twitter.com/o1MLN4QiG9

— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 14, 2021

It should be noted, his matchmaking is a tried and true approach to developing young talent.  Pitting young prospects against either less talented opponents their size or smaller but more skilled foes in order to develop as fighters is a strategy that has existed for years in combat sports.  Paul facing four consecutive opponents that were undersized is no coincidence.

But while young fighters toiling away in anonymity may get away with building their skills and records for longer periods of time, Paul is different.  His development has taken place as a pay-per-view headliner of large scale productions due to his pre-pugilistic fame.  As such, the public also expects him to take an accelerated climb up the ladder if they are to continue going along with his career on the other side of a paywall.

Here are several opponents that could find themselves in the ring with “The Problem Child” in his next outing.

The post Who is Next for Jake Paul Following His Win Over Tyron Woodley? appeared first on Cageside Press.

If you’re expecting another undercard circus the next time you see Jake Paul in action, you’ll be in for a disappointment.  A trio of bouts to round out the pay-per-view card have been confirmed that includes former champion Ivan Baranchyk, Daniel Dubois, and Tommy Fury.  While the broadcast brings exactly what you expect from a Showtime boxing pay-per-view, it is a far cry from some of the bouts that have come to be associated with Jake Paul events on Triller.

Tommy Fury and Daniel Dubois have been added to the #PaulWoodley undercard on Aug. 29. 

Tommy, the younger half-brother of Tyson Fury, is set to fight MMA fighter Anthony Taylor. (via @Marc_Raimondi) pic.twitter.com/3yHG3RLQaZ

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) August 2, 2021

The biggest name that stands out is Tommy Fury, the younger half-brother of heavyweight superstar Tyson Fury.  The undefeated Fury is an up-and-coming prospect with a 6-0 record and significant following of his own stemming from his appearance on the popular reality-dating show Love Island in 2019.  Fury was previously connected to a possible bout with Paul, with the social media star calling for them to compete on the same card as the elder Fury if they were ever to meet.  It would appear that Fury’s placement on the card is no coincidence as he meets MMA fighter Anthony Taylor, a training partner of Paul.  Assuming Fury were to win, an angle for a possible bout with Paul would be an easy one for Showtime to promote.  Taylor enters the bout on a five fight MMA win-streak, competing primarily for BAMMA but last fighting in January of 2020 for Bellator.

Former junior welterweight champion Ivan Barancyhk (20-2) will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Jose Zepeda back in October of 2020.  His only other loss came in 2019 to current welterweight dynamo Josh Taylor.   Baranchyk will be fighting Montana Love who is a 26 year-old prospect with a record of 15-0-1.  English heavyweight Daniel Dubois (16-1) will face Joe Cusumano (19-3).  Finally, a junior middleweight bout between 2016 Olympian Charles Conwell and Lucas Bastida will take place on the card.  Notably, Paul, Conwell, and Love are all from the Cleveland, Ohio area.

Aside from Paul vs Woodley, the card was already scheduled to feature world champions Amanda Serrano and Yamileth Mercard in a super bantamweight bout in the co-main event.  The event is scheduled to take place on August 29 at the RocketMortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

The post Paul vs. Woodley Undercard Adds Tommy Fury, Dubois, and Baranchyk appeared first on Cageside Press.