YouTube performer turned boxer Jake Paul is finalising a deal on his next opponent after his fight with Tommy Fury was called off.
Posting to social media, Paul, wrote that he sent Fury a termination notice for their proposed fight on August 7 (AEST) at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Fury was denied entry into the United States for undisclosed reasons while flying out of London about a week ago, with the fighter oblivious as to why the airport wouldn't let him board the plane and enter the US.
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Paul said that his team tried to assist with the situation but claimed Fury "wasn't interested" and "literally went into hiding."
Fury took to social media to propose a fight in a "neutral country that both parties can enter" and said he hopes his camp can resolve the issue.
"I'm gutted and disappointed in regards to the issues I have faced with entry into the United States," Fury said. "This is something that myself or my team could have never anticipated happening. This situation has been left with my lawyers as being denied entry into a country is obviously a very serious issue and it needs to subsequently be resolved."
Fury's denial into the United States follows that of his half-brother, "retired" heavyweight champion Tyson, who was barred from entering the country due to alleged links to Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan.
According to reports, family patriarch, John Fury, posted a now-deleted video on social media calling for Paul to fight in a country outside the US, before his son was denied at the airport.
"If you want this fight, my friend, you've got it, but we can't take it in America," he said. "But we will negotiate less money to fight elsewhere in the world."
Paul wrote that he would "take on a new opponent on short notice" but did not say who that opponent would be.
According to Sports Illustrated and The New York Times, the next man up will be Hasim Rahman Jr(12-1), the son of ex-heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, who snatched the heavyweight title with a shock KO win over Lennox Lewis in 2001.
The bout will reportedly be fought at cruiserweight division, which will be the first fight for Rahman at that weight, having slugged it out as a pro in the heavyweight division.
Rahman Jr, 31, sparred with Paul ahead of his first professional fight and fought for a vacant heavyweight title in April, a stoppage loss to James McKenzie Morrison. It was Rahman's first professional defeat.
The clash against Rahman, once it's confirmed, could be the first legitimate test for Paul (5-0), although having already sparred with the 12-1 fighter, the YouTuber must be convinced he can win.
Paul is yet to fight a legitimate boxer but that hasn't stopped him from deepening his pockets, having netted almost $60 million from the sport last year according to Forbes.
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