It has been two years since Tommy Fury fought Jake Paul. In their first and so far only encounter, the Fury family boxer claimed a close victory. But look at how their careers diverged afterward. Jake Paul, after facing a string of semi-retired opponents, reached a new peak with his blockbuster fight against Mike Tyson last year. In 2025, he faced former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and climbed into the WBA cruiserweight rankings. Fury, meanwhile, has kept his unbeaten record intact. However, punctuated by occasional callouts, often directed at none other than Jake Paul, his appearances have been infrequent.

That’s why Tommy Fury‘s comments about his former rival, who now appears to be edging closer to a major matchup with Anthony Joshua, have drawn attention. Jake Paul‘s camp has made it clear that repeated negative claims about his career and fights could invite legal action. Against that backdrop, Fury’s remarks in a recent interview, where he was asked about the potential AJ – Paul fight, raise eyebrows.

Tommy Fury’s take on Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul

To the ‘Stomping Ground‘ reporter, it was a shocking turn of events. “I find it nuts how we’re talking about the fight with your brother, and now we sit here in a position where AJ could be fighting Jake Paul,” so they asked, “What do you make of it all, Tommy?” To the 11-0 fighter, the matchup would lack legitimacy. In a remark likely to spark debate, Fury suggested, “AJ could be paid off to not throw a punch for eight rounds.”

Before you jump to conclusions, hear out what Tommy Fury actually meant. The whole premise of his argument rested on the fact that he’s the one who inflicted Jake Paul’s first loss. “What is Anthony Joshua going to do to Jake Paul?” He asked. Recalling his father, John Fury’s, colorful comments, Tommy Fury added, “Even if AJ had a broken arm in there, it still wouldn’t go past a minute.” Doubts still prevailed. “There’s no way, to be quite honest with you, and as a safety aspect, there’s no way that fight can go ahead if one of them is not paid off.”

In the end, the whole scenario only makes him look good. According to his logic, he defeated Paul back in 2023. Therefore, if Jake faces AJ, then, in Fury’s mind, that elevates his own win over Paul as if it were a heavyweight title. Laughing at the sheer absurdity of the matchup, Fury took a pointed jab: “You can’t be serious. Like, you can’t—you can’t beat me, and I’m not Anthony Joshua, am I?”

Now, any casual observer could tell that Tommy Fury spoke playfully.

Treading a fine line

But his implication that the fight could be a money-driven stunt, with AJ deliberately holding back, may invite pushback. Just the other day, social media lit up when images of Piers Morgan kneeling down and kissing Jake Paul’s hand emerged. The jab followed the British broadcaster’s explanation about the stance he had taken on Jake Paul’s career and fights.

“I posted a few weeks ago that Jake Paul’s boxing career has been ‘boring staged bullsh*t,‘” he wrote. The post featured a clarification as well. “I did not intend to suggest that the outcome was predetermined and certainly didn’t mean to suggest anything illegal.” Later reports showed him responding to claims that he was apologizing.

Reportedly, after the Mike Tyson fight, rumors emerged that the bout could possibly have been rigged. Paul’s camp, however, issued a clear statement. Similar allegations appeared after the Chávez Jr. bout. Hence, it was time to take control. His close associate and Most Valuable Promotions co-founder explained, “It’s one thing to say, ‘You’re not a good boxer.’ It’s another thing to say, “You fight older guys.” However, things change when “you say the fights are staged, aka rigged; then you’re defaming us.”

What’s your take on Tommy Fury’s views on the AJ-Paul matchup?