JAKE PAUL ignored pleas to pull out of his fight against Tommy Fury after having the “worst” training camp of his life.
Paul was beaten via split-decision in the Saudi Arabia grudge match and gave a host of excuses for his loss.
That included a bizarre WET DREAM the night before the bout while also complaining of an arm injury.
But trainer Danny Smith – who is now not working with the American – claimed Paul was seriously ill in the build up but refused to withdraw.
Smith said on the Full Disclosure podcast: “The thing about Jake in that fight is, he had Covid.
“We maybe sparred maybe four times for the fight. We left our training camp in Puerto Rico, went to Dubai, we ran maybe only three times.
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“I mean it was one of those situations where we shouldn’t really have been fighting because of the sickness.
“And coming down the stretch two weeks before the fight he had hurt his shoulder so we only sparred maybe two times.
“It was the worst camp we ever had and Jake didn’t want to pull out of this fight because he didn’t know if Tommy would come back and take it.”
Fury, 24, had twice pulled out of the bout beforehand due to a rib injury and US visa issue.
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So it left Paul refusing to risk another cancellation despite Smith saying he had an EKG – which checks for signs of heart disease.
The coach continued: “We had to have an EKG because he was having some issues breathing. This was like three weeks before the fight.
“He went to see a doctor with his dad and we all talked and was like, ‘Hey man, he doesn’t need to be fighting.’
“We didn’t know what was going on with his heart with the Covid, we don’t know what will happen in the ring, if he’ll get tired we just didn’t know.
“His dad was in agreeance and when he had the EGK and they said it was OK and he had the clear, we made weight by sitting in the steam room two times a day.”
Smith also said Paul was suffering from a break up with his influencer ex-girlfriend Julia Rose during preparations to fight Fury.
He added: “He had just broke up with his girlfriend so he was highly emotional. That was damaging.
“And I didn’t know how bad it was because Jake’s a pretty private guy and very tough guy, strong mentality and will.
“He doesn’t share a lot and things that really bother him. But he told me one time, he didn’t look so hot in sparring and he was feeling bad over Julia and things like that.
“And I was like, ‘Well I understand and I’m glad you’ve told me now but I wish you told me before sparring so we could’ve made adjustments’.”
Paul, 26, bounced back from defeat to Fury and in August beat ex-UFC star Nate Diaz, 38, over eight rounds.
And before the comeback victory he went public with new girlfriend Jutta Leerdam, a 24-year-old Dutch speedskater.
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Paul now returns on December 15 against 10-1-1 professional boxer Andre August, 35.
But he split from Smith after his first boxing loss and instead linked up with Theo Chambers of the famed Kronk gym in Detroit.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
