Tommy Fury vs Kenan Hanjalic LIVE RESULTS: TNT calls out Jake Paul after scrappy win while Roman delivers brutal KO
TOMMY FURY'S return to the ring after 18 months has been a success as the former Love Island star beat Kenan Hanjalic in Budapest!
It was a scrappy contest to say the least but TNT won on points before dedicating the victory to 'sweetheart' Molly Mae and calling out bitter rival Jake Paul.
And Tommy's half-brother Roman also came out on top tonight with a dominant KO victory.
The ref was forced to call an end to what was a heavily dominated fight after just round four.
The wait goes on
It's been a relatively quick and elaborate-planned night so far but at least the fans in Budapest have been treated to quite the event.
From the stage performances to club-like vibes, the crowd has been tonight's main feature as we await Tommy.
Tommy Fury up next
What we expect to be the final musical performance of the event has come to an end as all focus now shifts towards Tommy Fury and his six-round cruiserweight fight with unknown Bosnian Kenan Hanjalic.
Not before a bit more techno, of course.
Roman speaks on win
Fury record goes to 5-0 and will certainly endure a sterner test following this.
"It was a great comeback. I've been out for 14 months so it was a good performance," he said in his ring interview. "I want to dedicate this fight to my mother, she's been in bad health and I love her to death, mother that's for you."
Roman Fury beats Josip Pehar via KO
Fury, who is donning a Hungary cap, gave the crowd the highlight moment to feast on despite its convoluted nature.
Pehar was overmathced from the offset and once the first of three knockdowns occurred the onus was all Fury who claimed his stoppage in the fourth.
Time for brother Tommy.
Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar – Round 4
Fury knocks Pehar down again in Pehar's attempts to scramble back into this contest.
The Croatian meets the canvas again and the referee calls ends to this.
Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar – Round 3
As you would expect, Fury goes all-out for the stoppage.
The referee deems Pehar's second fall of the night as a knocdown despite the bundled-down nature of it.
Fury actions a sequence with multiple left hand
Pehar's main highlight has been holding, which deducted him a point and the wait to get his gumshield back in his mouth.
Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar – Round 2
Fury, in Tyson-like fashion, jinks and faints his way around the ring probing for a look to get his right hand involved.
Pehar escapes from some promsiing Fury combainations before engaing in grappling.
Seconds before the end of this round, Fury DROPS Pehar with a planted left hand to the body. The bell saves him.
If the size didn't show it, his strategy does: there's no stoppage coming from the Croatian despite his winning record.
Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar - Round 1
Fury imposes the heavy right hand early on with John barking our advice in his corner.
He tagged Pehar with a left hook but nothing that made the Croat retreat from battle.
First Fury up
Roman will face Josip Pehar, who has won seven of his twelve professional bouts.
Pehar had some issues with his walkout music as the audio just cut out with no resumption.
As for Fury, he is draped out in white silk with gold lining, of course the famous name in capital gold at the back and importantly his walkout goes more swimmingly than Pehar.
Interlude done
Break finished, half-time show wrapped up and all the shots of a semi-interactive crowd - all accompanied by the techno music and lights that this Hungary arena has to offer - now time for the meat and potatoes.
The Fury brothers are set to enter the ring.
As for the scheduled bout of Shokhjakhon Abdullaev vs Irakli Alanidze, there's serious uncertainty on whether we will see that fight but that has yet to be clarified by anyone involved.
Roman Fury outlines intentions
Roman tends to fade into the irrelevancy when the Fury name is brought up, and for good reason.
He has limted resume with even less credibility experience, but tonight presents a chance to craft out a proper name for himself. One that resonates beyond "Tommy's older brother."
He is set to be the penultimate fight before our main event.
Sandor Varadi beats Nikolas Panic UD 4
Panic certainly grew into this one, with his fourth round the most proactive he showed himself in the counter-punching area.
Sandor worked that body to deterioration but to the commendable work of Panic he remained standing.
The stoppage eluded him but the victory was assured from the offing with a dominant performance filled with promise.
Once again, like the fight before the scores aren't read out, but clearly not needed in this as Sandor cruises on points.
Sandor Varadi vs Nikolas Panic – latest
For an 18-year-old, Varadi cuts an impressive frame - one that will certainly fight at a higher level.
Same continues in this third round, the urgency has been impressive as Panic merely sways from side to side with his head firmly guarded by his lifeless hands.
Sandor Varadi vs Nikolas Panic – latest
A confident outing so far from the younger Varadi, who has negated any threat from Panic (insert meme here) in the first two rounds.
He has probed his Bosnian counterpart with the left jab doing much of the work as he awaits a clear opening.
Sandor Varadi vs Nikolas Panic - latest
We are moving at quiet the pace as we welcome our second fight of the night.
Not an official one, at least not one that was outlined on the card as Sandor Varadi and Nikolas Panic.
Both are 18 and 21 respectively fighting out of the light-heavyweight division.
Valentin Koloszar beats Alexandru Ionita UD 4
The dominance doesn't let up from Koloszar. He works his opponent onto the ropes and than unloads the most frenetic of uppercuts and more.
Midway through the third round it seemed that Ionita had stood their awaiting the end of his misery from the referee or his opponent but nothing came as he survived another round.
Into the fourth, the refree dose offer a caution to Ionita when he was seemingly finding some front into this contest. All it dose is resume the tempo of this with Koloszar landing some more crucial blows to the head.
How he hanged onto that onslaught for four rounds is beyond anyone?
Valentin Koloszar vs Alexandru Ionita - latest
Koloszar has unloaded a mammoth pressure on Ionita with the intention of entertaining his eager home crowd.
The Hungarian has worked his hapless opponent from body to face back to body in the opening two rounds as the finish surely nears.
Valentin Koloszar vs Alexandru Ionita
Our opening contest is underway (ahead of schedule) and we'll keep you updated on proceedings as we build-up to our main event.
Stat for you: Ionita has lost 33 fights in a row. Yes. THIRTY THREE.
Full card
Here’s your bill in full:
- Tommy Fury vs Kenan Hanjalic
- Shokhjakhon Abdullaev vs Irakli Alanidze
- Valentin Koloszar vs Alexandru Ionita
- Roman Fury vs Josip Pehar
Simple message from Hanjalic
As for Fury's opponent, with more than 100 amateur fights under his belt, here’s what Kenan Hanjalic has been saying in the build-up:
"I come from Sarajevo and proudly represent Gladiator Club Sarajevo, with over 100 amateur fights behind me – each one shaping me into the fighter I am today. I'm stepping into the ring on May 9 in Budapest to face Tommy Fury with one mission – to win.”
Event delayed!
DAZN was scheduled to begin its broadcast at 6.30pm UK time, but has been delayed for the last 20 minutes with it only starting up now.
The delay should still not have much change on Tommy Fury's bout which is scheduled for 10pm BST.
Tonight’s ‘a start of a new chapter’ - Fury
Fury’s return is marked by personal growth, with his absence seeing him suffering from a challenging layoff that included recuperating from hand surgery, splitting from his partner Molly-Mae Hague, and battling alcoholism.
“It means everything,” Fury said upon his return to the ring. “It's like, you know, a footballer who can't play football. It's everything. It's his life. It's what makes him tick. You know, this is all I've done since being a kid. I don't really know any other.
“I think if I hadn't had the two massive fights that I did before the injury, things might have been a little bit different,” he admitted. “But going from that high to such a low, just being in bed and not being able to do anything… I couldn't even take a shower properly because I couldn't get the thing on my hand wet for the first six months.
“That's when you end up going down a bit of a bad path and struggle to turn around,' he added. 'But, you know, I just look at all that as a distant memory now… Friday night is the start of that new chapter.”
What happened last time Tommy stepped in the ring?
In their highly anticipated boxing bout back in February 2023, Tommy Fury defeated social media superstar-turned-fighter Jake Paul by an eight-round split decision.
The battle proceeded as many predicted, with Fury maintaining control for extended periods of time because to his potent jab, which also helped him withstand some savage onslaught from Paul.
In the eighth round, the 26-year-old American even dropped his opponent, but Fury had already done enough to win by split decision (74-75, 76-73, 76-73). The referee deducted a point from Paul for holding down his opponent's head during a clinch, while Fury was punished a point for excessive clutching.
Fury was rewarded in finances, if not status, taking home a reported $4.5m – the most in his career to date.
The countdown is ON!
Thanks for the early take-off, Nyle and Connor; I’ll drive us into our main spate of action now!
Tommy Fury return to boxing headlines tonight’s coverage in Budapest as he takes on fellow pro Kenan Hanjalic following an 18-month hiatus from the sport, if not on your screens.
Fury, 26, would have liked to imagine his boxing career would be on the fast track to world champion status by now. He has the name, size and style to make it at boxing’s top table, but evidently the drive has eluded him as he has gone from boxing to reality TV star.
TNT is more known for his on-and-off relationship with fellow celebrity partner Molly Mae than his 10-0 record, but tonight’s dust-up with Bosnian Hanjalic - a replacement for Darren Till - is an opportunity to re-focus attention towards the ultimate craft.
Also in action, Fury’s brother, Roman, will step in the ring for the fifth time in his career against Josip Pehar in the penultimate fight of the night.
The card is expected to get underway at 7.30pm BST with Valentin Koloszar vs Alexandru Ionita and Varadi Sandor vs Nikolas Panic before the Fury bouts.
Fatal Fury
Tommy Fury has fired a warning shot at his opponent as he prepares to make his boxing return.
He told DAZN: “I just want to get into the ring and settle into the fight to be honest.
“I'm in no rush. If I could get a few rounds it would be good because I've been out of the ring for so long.
“It's kind of nice being under the lights as long as I can.
“But obviously, if I see the openings, then it could be the first 10 seconds and I'm going to take it. It just depends what happens.”
