Great entertainment or overrated nonsense? – the future of crossover boxing
Tommy Fury has beaten Jake Paul and KSI in his last two fights.
Tommy Fury laboured to a points victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI in a fight that promised much but delivered little at a packed out AO Arena in Manchester at the weekend.
Here, the PA news agency looks at whether crossover events are on the way up or the way down.
What happened?
Fury, the younger half-brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury who found fame in his own right on Love Island, took on YouTube star and entrepreneur KSI over six rounds in the headline act. But the card was flush with social media stars; Alex Wassabi boasts 3.3million Instagram followers and was involved in the first fight of the night, a peculiar tag-team event which looked like something from WWE.
Was it successful?
What’s the problem, then?
Why are people paying to watch raw novices fight?
Are there any more Misfits events in future?
What will Fury do instead?
Fury, unlike his fellow fighters on Saturday, would regard himself as a professional boxer first and foremost. He has expressed a desire to follow in his sibling’s footsteps and become a world champion. Still only 24, Fury has plenty of time on his side but a slim points win over KSI – in which the decision could have gone either way – does not augur especially well. If he is to realise his dream then Fury needs to get back to establishing himself in the professional ranks and fully commit to learning his trade.
