Tommy Fury has taken to social media to clarify that he couldn’t travel to the USA for the Jake Paul press conference due to a denied ESTA.
After the younger brother of the WBC heavyweight champion sustained a bacterial chest infection and a broken rib last year, fans feared he would never fight the YouTuber.
However, after getting Paul to agree to drug testing, Fury signed his end of the deal, and the fight received confirmation for August 6 at Madison Square Garden. The contest has split fans. Some favour the Brit’s far superior technical prowess, while others spot his weakness for the right hand, which worryingly is Paul’s best shot.
But it seems we’re not out of the woods yet after the Love Island runner-up failed to make it to New York for the scheduled media day.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) is an automated system which dictates who can and can’t travel to the country under the Visa Waiver Programme. Fury couldn’t travel, and now he’s uploaded his side of the story to Instagram.
Tommy Fury explains ESTA issue
The disappointed 23-year-old said: “[I wanted to] come on here and set the record straight before anybody else tries to. Me and my team this morning arrived at Heathrow Airport ready for the press conference, ready to fly out.
“And as soon as I entered the airport, I got pulled to one side, and I was told by the Homeland Security officer that was there that my ESTA had been denied. And I wasn’t able to travel to the USA for a reason that I apparently know.
“I can stand here and I say I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. I have no clue why I’m not allowed to travel to the USA.”
The shocking news quickly prompted a response from ‘Most Valuable Promotions’. They claimed they were left shocked by the situation as Fury had travelled to California the previous month.
The incident resulted in the cancellation of the press conference. Consequently, Paul has tweeted an abusive message in Fury’s direction.
The 25-year-old said: “Tommy, no matter how hard u try to get out of this fight, I’m going to do everything in my power to not let you weasel your way out. My team & my partners have made it clear the steps you need to take to solve your latest excuse. Take them or admit you’re a scared little bitch. #TommyFumbles.”
Ultimately, Fury needs to find a resolution to the problem quickly. Because if it doesn’t, he could lose the opportunity of a lifetime.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
