BOXER Kalvin Henderson says he bloodied Jake Paul up so badly in sparring that he got booted out of the training camp.
Henderson was among a group of sparring partners selected to help Paul prepare for his February 2023 bout against Tommy Fury.
Footage emerged from his camp in Dubai showing the YouTuber-turned-boxer having blood wiped from his nose in the gym.
Henderson revealed he was the man responsible – and it cost him his place in the training camp.
He told SunSport: “The last sparring session is when I really opened up because some of the things they were saying in camp. When we first started, they wanted me to give Jake a certain look.
“He was fighting Tommy and from their understanding, they thought Tommy was trying to stay on the outside and box and kinda use more of an amateur style.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“And so they wanted me to kind of mimic that style. So, for a while I was, but then everybody in camp kept asking me, ‘We need you to really push him, man. I need you to do this.’
“I’m like, ‘How do you all want me to push him and you keep putting me on these leashes?
“And finally, one of his coaches, I ain’t gonna say his name, the coach told me, ‘Hey man, I ain’t gonna lie. You out here looking like a sucker.’
“I’m like, ‘What?’ So when he told me that, the next sparring session I have made in my mind right now, I’m not boxing him, I’m not sitting on the outside, I’m gonna straight dog him.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
“I’m walking straight to him, I’m gonna let them go. That was the sparring session you saw that got posted where he was leaking with blood everywhere.
“That was the last time I sparred Mr Paul. They sent me back home! They kicked me out of camp, they told me they didn’t need my services anymore and they kicked me out of camp.
“So when I put it on him, it, it got kinda hot and then still when I put it him on, I was impressed that he kept coming out ready to compete every round.
“He didn’t necessarily quit. You can see the style kinda changed. He was moving and was okay with just using the jab but that was the last time I spared Mr Paul.”
Henderson, 34, says sparring days were Tuesday and Thursday at the Dubai training base.
But after Paul fell ill, it was moved to Saturday, although Henderson was no longer welcome.
He revealed: “I show up Saturday, I’m putting my sparring gear on one of the coaches goes, ‘No, you good, man. You’re not sparring today he’s sparring the other guy for a couple of rounds, just kind of moving around a little bit.’
“Oh, all right. First time they ever said I wasn’t sparing, ever. And then it came on Sunday the next day I get a text from BJ Flores, ‘Yo, man, we’re gonna fly you back. You just got the style we’re looking for.’
“I was in camp for three weeks already. Three weeks. But now after the sparring session, I don’t get to spar on Saturday? You put two and two together.”
Paul, 27, was later defeated on points by Fury, 25, so far the only blemish on his 11-fight record ahead of his fight with Tyson.
He was leaking with blood everywhere. That was the last time I sparred Mr Paul. They sent me back home!
Kalvin Henderson
And Henderson admits he was impressed by the social media star.
He said: “What people don’t understand is how athletic Jake Paul really is. He really is more athletic than what people think he is.
“And so I think it’ll be a competitive fight. I won’t be shocked if Jake wins. I actually have him winning. But it’s gonna be competitive.”
Paul has four wins since his defeat to Fury meanwhile 58-year-old Tyson returns for his first professionally-sanctioned bout in 20 YEARS.
But the fight is to be boxed over eight two-minute rounds – opposed to the usual three – with bigger 14oz gloves instead of 10oz.
Henderson, having spent nearly a month sparring Paul last year, urged Iron Mike to slowly wear down the younger man.
He advised: “If I’m Mike Tyson, I’m his coach in his corner, I tell Mike to play the long game.
“I will come out and provide pressure on Jake and kinda make Jake burn and kinda shoot his wild a little bit and then kinda clinch up and just kinda play the long game.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“And, as rounds go on start picking it up, turn the heat up and then looking to catch him in the later rounds with a good shot.”
Henderson is 19-2-1 after beating Cleotis Pendarvis in October and returns on December 7 at light-heavyweight.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
