British boxer Tommy Fury has teased what appears to be a possible boxing match with former One Direction star Liam Payne, leaving fans flabbergasted.
Tommy Fury is fresh off his match against Jake Paul, which he won by split-decision this February. This marked Paul’s first-ever boxing loss and was a huge victory for Fury, who’d been feuding with the American YouTuber for years.
Now, it’s looking like Fury has secured another massive opponent — one that was completely unexpected.
On April 12, 2023, Fury posted a fight poster to his Instagram account that appears to be teasing a bout with none other than One Direction’s Liam Payne.
The poster claims that the fight will take place “this summer,” with a forthcoming announcement set for tomorrow, April 13. The fight locale is set at the Old Trafford arena in Stretford, Manchester.
Although this might seem like a belated April Fool’s joke at first glance, Liam Payne has also posted the same fight poster to his Instagram account, making this fight seem more legit than ever. Both stars captioned their posts with the eyes emoji.
Is Tommy Fury vs Liam Payne boxing match real?
Fans’ responses to this bout have been decidedly mixed, with many expressing shock and confusion at this seemingly random matchup. However, others are speculating that this may not be a fight, at all, but instead an event of a different sort.
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Instead, many are claiming that Fury and Payne could be making an appearance at Soccer Aid, a celebrity charity football match taking place in June at the Old Trafford arena — details that match up with information on the supposed fight poster.
Liam Payne, yes the same Liam Payne who is formerly of One Direction, teasing a potential announcement with Tommy Fury at Old Trafford football ground 😳Soccer Aid is on at Old Trafford on June. 11 👀 #LiamPayne #TommyFury pic.twitter.com/JdyfFc7AtV
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) April 12, 2023
A boxing match between these celebs isn’t out of the question, though, as Fury previously stated that his next match will be “bigger than Jake Paul.”
If true, this wouldn’t be the first major influencer-boxing match to involve a real-world celebrity. Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather has faced off with two high-profile influencers in the past, and WWE star John Morrison is set to feature on the upcoming Creator Clash 2 card this weekend.
Of course, we can’t discount Jake Paul’s 2022 bout against MMA legend Anderson Silva, either, nor rapper Blueface’s involvement in Austin McBroom vs AnEsonGib.
For now, many details about this bout are slim — but fans will just have to wait for April 13 to learn more.