'Leaked script' suggests Jake Paul and Tommy Fury fight is rigged

The stage is being set for one of the biggest boxing matches of the year: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury.

And yet “stage” could be the operative word here thanks to suggestions that the whole thing is rigged.

An alleged script has been leaked, setting out each twist and turn in the dramatic Diriyah Arena head-to-head from start to finish.

The document, which was doing the rounds on Twitter on Sunday morning, just hours before the fight in Saudia Arabia was due to take place, described the two men’s actions for each round – even going so far as to suggest Fury would need medical assistance by round five.

It begins (after confirming the star’s entrance song and outfit choices): “The fighters start off cautiously, circling each other and throwing jabs. Jake Paul lands a solid left hook but Tommy Fury responds with a quick right hand.”

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However, whatever you may think about the authenticity of these high-profile showdowns, it’s unlikely that this script is the real deal.

It was shared by mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Dillon Danis – a notorious critic of Paul who has previously claimed that the YouTuber’s fights are all staged. So it’s more likely that the “leaking” of the doc was a pretty cunning prank.

Still, the whole thing was already set to be as dramatic as a West End play or a Broadway musical, with electric performances from both men during their weigh-in on Saturday night.

"Tomorrow night his time is up, Jake Paul will no longer be boxing. I'm going to put Jake Paul away inside four rounds," a riled-up Tommy Fury declared to a sea of journalists.

"He's acting on stage, getting all hyped-up, trying to act like his brother. This professional boxer is going down. It's easy, it's simple. I'm ready - cool, calm, collected," Paul retorted, promising a finish in the same time-frame.

After two previous bouts were cancelled, the pair will finally face off at the Diriyah Arena, where Paul expects a win against an unbeaten pro boxer with an 8-0 record that he hopes will burnish his reputation in the sport.

The purse for the fight is anticipated to be the biggest ever recorded for an eight-round match, running into seven figures, a source involved in its organisation told The Times.

According to other reports, Paul is set to make $3.2 million (around £2.7 million) along with 65 per cent of revenue from pay-per-view. (If you're looking to watch the match, it will be available for £19.95 on PPV via BT Sport).

Fury, meanwhile, is set to take home $2 million (around £1.6 million) and 35 per cent of the PPV revenue. However, the two men have made a bet that whoever wins will scoop the entire amount, so a lot's at stake here.

The brash Paul, a 26-year-old American best known for his social media following, has disrupted boxing by taking on a series of fellow celebrities and ex-MMA artists en route to a 6-0 record, notching four knockouts along the way.

The 23-year-old Fury may have a more traditional boxing background, but he is more famous for his celebrity sibling Tyson and Love Islandcredentials than his pugilistic skills.

"Like the posters say, the talk is over, we've done all the 'yeah, yeah, yeah', all the hoopla. It's time to figure out the truth," Paul said ahead of the clash.

Whether or not we'll really get the "truth" remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure: it's going to be one hell of a show.

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