Jake Paul rematch in tatters as Conor McGregor called out after $8m offer rejected
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have both been vocal about hopes for a rematch, but it appears as though the half-brother of Tyson Fury is more set on a fight with Conor McGregor
Jake Paul’s hopes of a rematch with Tommy Fury may have been crushed, with the Englishman targeting Conor McGregor instead.
Paul, 27, went toe-to-toe with the half-brother of Tyson Fury at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia, where he was bested in a narrow split decision in Tommy’s favour. To this day, the loss remains the only smudge on Paul’s professional record – which currently stands at 11-1 following his most recent win over Mike Tyson in November.
The ‘Problem Child’, who only turned professional in 2020, has crafted an incredible career in the squared circle over the last five years, beating a number of fellow influencers, highly-rated UFC stars, and sportspeople alike. However, he will undoubtedly be itching to atone for his loss at the hands of Fury and has been incredibly vocal about his desire for one last dance with his English rival in the future.
Last year, Fury took to Instagram to announce that he was ready to “talk some serious numbers” regarding a rematch with Paul, explaining in a video: “I’ve beat you once already, I handed you your first loss. The minute you stepped in there with a real boxer… you lost fair and square.”
He added: “I can give you a second loss, that’s not a problem. But let’s talk some serious numbers down the phone.” In a separate interview, Fury also explained that a rematch with Paul is “inevitable”. Speaking to ESPN, the 25-year-old said he would take a rematch with Paul “in a heartbeat”, adding: “I mean at the end of the day I think me and him, we’re set in stone.
“He’s only got one defeat and that’s to me, so it’s inevitable that we are going to get back in the ring. I know I’m going to be an improved fighter and with him the [fights] he’s taking and what he’s doing, I’m not sure if he’s going to improve that much.” Meanwhile, Paul has admitted that he’s also game for a rematch with Fury, but only if the bout is scheduled for 12 rounds instead of eight like their first encounter.
Taking to social media on the prospect of a rematch, Paul wrote: “Only if it’s 12 rounds,” nodding to an opinion that an extra 12 minutes in the ring could have changed the outcome of the first fight. Paul also claims that Fury was offered an $8 million purse to fight him rather than Tyson in their November Netflix extravaganza.
Taking to X in a now-deleted post, Paul wrote: “Offered Fury $8M to fight on Netflix. He turned it down and now fighting an MMA fighter…now tell me who is running? Stupid daddy controlled kid, protected from the inevitable.” However, any hopes of a rematch taking place anytime soon seem to have been stopped in their tracks, with Fury recently expressing an interest in facing two-time UFC champion McGregor in the world of boxing next.
In a post on X, Fury wrote: “@TheNotoriousMMA don’t waste your time with beaten fighters. Fight the man who’s beaten them all and still has his 0 I’ll be waiting…” alongside a phone emoji – just hours after YouTuber KSI had said that he was “very down” to step in and fight McGregor as rumors circulated that the Irishman’s proposed bout with Logan Paul had broken down.
Fury hasn’t fought since his unanimous decision win over KSI in October 2023 and appears to be looking to make 2025 a far more active year. He was initially scheduled to fight former UFC star Darren Till under the Misfits Boxing banner on January 18; however, he withdrew from the contest after the Liverpudlian threatened to disregard the rules of the sport and “kick” Fury in the head.
Instead, Till will face 3-3 Anthony Taylor, another man whom Fury has previously secured a win over in the past. With no fights booked as of yet, Fury seems to be pushing for a mega-money showdown with McGregor, while Paul has also previously been vocal about his ambitions to face off with 62-2-2 WBA (Super), WBC and WBO super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
