JAKE PAUL’S sparring partner Kalvin Henderson believes Tommy Fury has already been dealt one defeat ahead of their grudge match.
The pair of celebrity boxing rivals have rescheduled their pay-per-vie fight for Sunday in Saudi Arabia.
Helping Paul prepare for the fight – just 400 miles away in Dubai – is super-middleweight contender Henderson.
He spent three weeks in camp with the YouTuber-turned unbeaten boxer and was left impressed with what he experienced in the ring.
But it is Paul’s work outside the ropes that he believes has given him an early edge against 8-0 Fury.
Henderson, 32, told SunSport: “I think he has won – so far at least – the mind games over Tommy.
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“I think Tommy will approach this fight with a different mindset and now the fight is actually real and Jake is actually training for this guy, I think Tommy is re-thinking some things.
“I think Jake has won the mind control fight over Tommy, but they have a great game plan for Tommy.
“I’m really hoping Tommy is in the gym taking it seriously and really getting in shape because Jake is locked in.”
Henderson was one of a pack of paid sparring partners, helping punch Paul into top shape for the box office bout.
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And he revealed the 6-0 social media sensation gave as good as he got in the practise rounds.
Henderson said: “The first couple of times I was kind of downloading information on what he’s good at, what he’s not good at. What he likes doing, how’s his power, how’s his speed.
“I was gaining information, but the second week we sparred, I turned it up. I pushed the envelope and started unleashing some of my weapons.
“But, to Jake’s credit he came out every round ready to work again, he responded very well and what impressed me most is he continued to make adjustments.
“Even in the later rounds in sparring, usually I turn it up around round three or four and guys kind of go into what I call survival mode to try and make it through the rounds.
“But it was cool to see Jake address every round like it was a new round, ready to get to work, making adjustments.
“Of course, we didn’t go in there to try and kill him, he’s got a fight coming up and if I get kicked out of camp, that’s my money also gone too!
“I was never hurting Jake, we picked and choosed when to turn it up, when to hit and move, but he’s made major improvements, especially for a guy who’s only been boxing three years.”
Paul, 26, is finally set to fight Fury, 23, who has twice pulled out in the past amid injury and US visa issues.
And Henderson warned the fight will be decided on how Fury approaches it tactically – with Paul equally as capable of winning by KO or the cards.
He said: “It really depends how Tommy comes in. If Tommy wants to move his feet and run all around the ring, it might go all eight rounds.
“But if Tommy comes in and wants to press and engage, he might get caught early and go to sleep. It really depends on what Tommy shows up that night.
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“But I know Jake is going to come ready. That’s what I like about it too, like I said, their game plan they’re hammering it in week after week, om the bag, on the pads, in sparring.
“They’re ready to go. I’m sure they’re ready to go now, but February 26th they’ll be ready to go for sure.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
