As Ben Askren prepares for his upcoming boxing match with YouTube star Jake Paul he’ll have the assistance of his good friend and former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
Similar to some others close to Askren like fellow former Bellator champion Michael Chandler, Woodley fully supports the MMA representative in this unique matchup.
“Ben has very dumpy power, that’s the best way I can explain it,” Woodley told The Schmo. “When he punches, it’s not like the super-fast [Floyd] Mayweather type stuff, but when he hits you it’s like damn that kinda f*ckin’ hurt a little bit. So in my mind, I think that he clings to guys well, we haven’t really seen him take a lot of punches. Robbie [Lawler] hit him a couple times. Obviously, he got flying kneed, but we haven’t seen him sit there and just take f*cking shots from people throwing hands at him.
“So I think he’s going to be able to get close to Jake, kinda talk a little shit to him because Ben’s been doing that since college, and then really just wear him down and wear him out. Then I think those later rounds, Ben’s been on this stage, the Bellator stage, the ONE FC stage, the UFC stage, the Olympic stage, the NCAA stage, the crowd and the lights, and everything that goes with the pazazz of putting on a show — he’s not going to be moved by. Jake, this is new to him. YouTube is one thing but when you’re in front of people and people are watching you… He showed up against those guys he fought but I think Ben’s a world-class athlete whether he looks like he can jump 40-feet off the ground or not, he’s world-class in three different sports.”
Set to next face Vicente Luque at UFC 260 on Mar. 27, Tyron Woodley will be preparing to snap a three-fight losing skid that started with him dropping the welterweight title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 in March 2019 — the same event where Askren made his promotional debut against Robbie Lawler.
For Askren, his undefeated streak ended abruptly after that as he ran into a lightning-quick knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal before being submitted by Demian Maia in what was his final MMA fight in November 2019.
“I’m gonna help him out, I’m gonna corner him,” Woodley said. “I’ll try to see how I can merge it in with my training camp but Ben just told me come after my fight, that’s only a week. If you can come earlier, come earlier. That’s how Ben is. Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Askren vs. Paul is booked to take place on Apr. 17 at a location that remains to be determined.