Jake Paul suffered his first defeat in the boxing ring on Sunday at the Diriyah Arena, as British reality TV star Tommy Fury edged him out in a split decision.
The loss was a humbling experience for the American social media star, who had enjoyed a successful start to his fledgling boxing career.
Watched by luminaries such as Fury's half brother and current WBC heavyweight champ Tyson, former champion Mike Tyson and football player Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently joined Saudi club Al Nassr, Paul's considerable shortcomings were highlighted as Fury picked him off over eight rounds.
"Tonight I made my legacy, I made my legacy," Fury said, finally stepping out of the shadow of his illustrious boxing family.
"Through these two and a half years, I had a dream, a vision and no one believed me. Now they can stand up and take note," he added.
Fury had the better opening exchanges, but Paul began to settle in the third as he tried to lure his opponent forward and counter with big right hands.
In about short on technical quality, Paul looked to be turning the tide when he had a point deducted in the fifth round for a blow to the back of Fury's head, but Fury had a fact chalked off for holding in the sixth to even things up again.
A short left hand downed Fury in the eighth and final round to shift the momentum in Paul's favor to set up a grandstand finish in which both men chased a knockout punch that never materialized.
"All respect to Tommy; he won. Don't judge me by my wins; judge me by my losses. I'll come back; I thought I deserved that rematch; it was a great, close fight," Paul said in the ring as his boxing record slipped to six wins and one loss.
In the co-main event, challenger Badou Jack put on a clinical display of boxing, stopping Ilunga Makabu in the 12th and final round to win the WBC cruiserweight title, the third weight class in which the 39-year-old Swede has held a world title.
Jack downed Makabu with a big right hand in the fourth round and decked him again similarly in the 11th. Though South African Makabu's undoubted power posed a threat until late in the fight, he eventually capitulated.
With his corner telling him ahead of the final round that he needed a knockout to win, Makabu came out swinging, but Jack's crisp combinations overcame him, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight as the Swede claimed the belt.
