TOMMY FURY has been accused of having NO strengths over Jake Paul by the man who has shared the ring with them both.
Anthony Taylor, a 7-5 MMA fighter, shot to recognition as one of Paul’s sparring partners.
But his profile increased further last August, when he was beaten over four rounds by Fury, brother to heavyweight champion Tyson.
That result set Fury, 22, up with a grudge match against Paul, 24, on December 18 in Florida.
And Taylor, not in camp with his celebrity fighting friend this time, predicted Fury will tire and lose in the later stages.
He told SunSport: “I think Jake TKO in the seventh round.
“His ring IQ is better, boxing IQ is better, his cardio is a lot better. Strategically, footwork-wise, Jake is better.
“When you really look at Jake, when he fought Tyron you can tell his footwork is better than Tommy’s.
“His ring IQ, the way he utilises the ring around him, the space, the ropes, but when you look at Tommy’s previous fights, he’s never fought anybody bar me.
“And he had a hard time against me. I’m 5’6, he was supposed to knock me out and he had a really hard time and he gassed out quick.
“When you’re going against a guy that’s taller than you, with boxing skills like Jake, Tommy’s going to have a really hard time.”
Paul’s first three wins were knockouts over online rival ‘AnEsonGib’, ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 37, and retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, also 37.
But he scored his biggest career win last time out over eight rounds against ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley, 39.
Taylor’s MMA experience was used in sparring for the wins over Askren and Woodley while even affording him a spot on the undercard in the latter.
But Fury spoiled any chance of a cinderella upset for the former Bellator fighter.
Taylor has since likened Fury’s fight with Paul to Anthony Joshua’s loss to Oleksandr Usyk in September.
And he insisted his ex-rival does not posses the power capable of closing the show like has been previously promised.
Taylor, 32, said: “Tommy has no knockout power, he has pop and nothing else.
“People said I was comparing Jake to Usyk, no, I said this, the fight will be exactly like Anthony Joshua versus Usyk.
“Tommy Fury is going to be Anthony Joshua, throwing one-twos, very stationary, he comes forward.
“Jake will be like Usyk, moving around a lot, he’s going to use that whole ring, he’s going to pick his shots.
“He’s not going to stand and trade with Tommy, he’s going to move, bouncing. You seen against Tyron Woodley, he used the whole ring.
“He moved around a lot. And it’s going to be the same thing, just like that.”
Taylor’s friendship with Paul has landed him on the mega pay-per-view bill once again.
He fights Chris Avila, a training partner of Nate Diaz’s, who he beat only last year in the cage.
Taylor said: “Kudos to Chris Avila for stepping foot into that boxing ring, he’s a warrior for that.
“I give everybody their props when they step foot in that cage or ring. But no disrespect to him as a fighter, but I’m going to properly kick his butt.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
