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      Boxing legend Claressa Shields thanks Conor McGregor for MMA advice… but names Jon Jones as UFC’s GOAT

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      FORMER undisputed middleweight boxing champ Claressa Shields has thanked Conor McGregor his his MMA advice.
      But Shields rates Jon Jones as UFC’s Greatest Of All Time.

      Claressa Shields is poised to make her MMA debut this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      UFC legend Conor McGregor chipped in with some MMA advice for ShieldsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The 25-year-old American will aim to unify ANOTHER weight division on March 3 when she fights Marie Eve Dicaire for the super-welterweight world titles.
      And in June, Shields will take her first steps into MMA when she makes her debut.
      In December she signed a multi-fight deal with the PFL promotion but she will not be giving up boxing.
      And UFC’s former two-weight world champ McGregor was just one MMA star to offer Shields some advice as she makes the transition with a post on Instagram.

      Shields, speaking to Marc Gatford via the Betway Insider blog, said: “It was very welcoming.
      “To me, Jon Jones is the GOAT in MMA, but Conor McGregor was considered the GOAT once upon a time too and they’re both great in their own right.
      “I just feel when Conor reached out, I feel like in a way he actually cared and he was wishing me good luck and that’s what I appreciated most.
      “He didn’t have to give me any advice, he could have just seen it and kept on but instead he was like, ‘I’m going to give out this advice’, and it was great. I took it, I use it and hopefully everything goes as it’s supposed to go.”

      Jon Jones is UFC’s GOAT, according to ShieldsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      McGregor is plotting his own MMA path back to the top and is chasing the trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
      The Irishman fell to a shock KO loss in their February rematch that delayed any hopes he has of fighting for the lightweight title.
      And Shields has passed on some of her own advice for how The Notorious can avenge that defeat.
      She added: “Conor can avenge it but it’s going to take some hard work. He’s been out of the MMA cage for a while, I know he had his last fight but before his last fight he’d probably been out two or three years.
      “I would say he needs to get out of the boxing mindframe to win that fight. He had his front foot too forward, too much weight on his leg, more like a boxer’s stance.

      “It’s like he needs to get back to having light feet and [being] quick and explosive, using all his attributes, not just his punches; punches, kicks, knees, he needs to get back being creative.
      “But I tell you what, it’s hard to do, it’s hard to cut off the boxing switch and cut on the MMA switch.
      “When you’re doing both it’s hard, you have to be very mentally strong and say ‘this is MMA, everything goes’ and then you have to click that button and go to boxing and say ‘this is boxing, there are rules’ so it’s hard and I can just imagine that after being out of the cage for so long that his mind was adjusting and still looking to land those big shots.
      “He probably didn’t generate it in his mind, he needs to go his mind and click on the ‘everything’ switch and use every part of the body as a weapon.
      “I know he was boxing against Floyd but he needs to cut off the boxing switch and focus strictly on MMA for at least three or four months.”
      Original interview came via the Betway Insider blog, where you can find all the latest sporting insight and tips

      Claressa Shields to make MMA debut in June as boxing champ vows to train and ‘come out like a powerhouse’ More

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      Aaron Chalmers confirms move into pro boxing after MMA retirement with Geordie Shore star eyeing WWE afterwards

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      AARON CHALMERS confirmed his move into professional boxing after retiring from MMA – with the Geordie Shore star eyeing WWE afterwards.
      Chalmers leaves the cage with a 5-2 record, having fought four times for Bellator.

      Aaron Chalmers is moving into pro boxing

      Aaron Chalmers retires with a 5-2 MMA recordCredit: Alamy Live News

      He announced via social media that he was no longer continuing his MMA journey and hinted at a new switch.
      Chalmers followed it up by confirming plans to move into WWE before retiring for good aged 40.
      He tweeted: “Couple of years in my new career which will be announced soon and then we move to @WWEUK@WWE and retired at 40.”
      Asked if he was moving into celebrity boxing, Chalmers replied: “Nope not celebrity.”

      Couple of years in my new career which will be announced soon and then we move to @WWEUK @WWE and retired at 40 🙏🏽
      — Aaron chalmers (@AaronCGShore) February 23, 2021

      The 33-year-old, who had two knockouts in MMA, is now training at esteemed boxing coach Adam Booth’s gym.
      Booth has trained ex-world champions David Haye, George Groves and Andy Lee, and currently has a stable of rising talent.
      That includes Josh Kelly, Michael Conlan, Harlem Eubank and Shannon Courtenay.
      And it was Sunderland’s Kelly and 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist Conlan who let the cat out the bag that Chalmers was turning over.

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      The pair called for their new gym-mate to fight YouTuber-turned boxer Jake Paul, who is 2-0 since debuting in 2020.
      Conlan, 29, said on Matchroom’s podcast: “Speaking about Aaron actually – we want Jake Paul. Aaron’s a celebrity, we want Jake Paul.
      “Aaron will f*** Jake Paul up. I will say it now, he will f*** Jake Paul up.
      “Jake Paul’s a b****. He’ll f*** him up. Simple as that.”
      Kelly, 26, added: “Jake Paul’s never a cruiserweight, either. He should be getting that weight off, getting down.
      “Aaron’s got what, nearly what three million followers on Instagram and Twitter? If that fight doesn’t sell what will?”
      Conlan then urged promoter Eddie Hearn to get in touch with them to set up the fight with 24-year-old Paul.

      Watch YouTuber Jake Paul training to fight ex-UFC star Ben Askren More

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      UFC legend Jon Jones tipped to ‘do great’ as a boxer in Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s heavyweight division

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      FUTURE UFC Hall of Famer Jon Jones would ‘do great’ in boxing if he were to ever compete inside the squared circle.
      The former long-reigning light-heavyweight champion has flirted with a transition into the boxing ring in recent years.

      Jon Jones has flirted with the idea of one day competing in boxingCredit: Instagram @jonnybones

      Jon Jones is seemingly interested in testing himself inside the squared circleCredit: Instagram @jonnybones

      Jones, who is currently bulking up in preparation for his long-awaited heavyweight debut, reiterated his willingness to compete against the likes of Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder last June during a since-resolved dispute with the UFC.
      And three-division boxing champion Claressa Shields, who has been training with Jones at JacksonWink MMA ahead of her PFL debut in June, believes Bones would take to the sport like a duck to water.
      The two-time Olympic gold medallist told SunSport: “He’d do great just because of his work ethic. He’d do great just learning.
      “And yeah it’s a big difference, but he’d do great just as long as he [gets the best trainers].

      “Just like me, he’s got to get the best trainers for that.”
      If Jones, 33, were to pursue a career in boxing, Shields reckons he’d benefit from perfecting the tools of the trade with her own coach – former WBA middleweight champion John David Jackson.
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      She added: “I think him working with coach John David Jackson would be a dream.

      “John David Jackson, he knows how to create fighters. And people always say, ‘Oh he didn’t create me’.
      “You’re right. I was a two-time Olympic champion before I got with Coach John David and I was world champ before I got with him.
      “But I added some much to my arsenal just being with him. He’s so knowledgable and he’s just made me a better fighter. I’m actually more relaxed.
      “I used to be really, really tight when I boxed. But he just let me relax. ‘Let your punches go, use your feints.’

      “Some stuff that I had really just got away from because I was so used to going in being the hunter.
      “Hunting these girls down, hitting them as hard as I can. And now, we’re working on like, ‘We’re going to make these hard but sneaky.
      “‘I want you to be loose and elusive and the head movement.’
      “Just some of the stuff that I kind of forgot that I knew how to do, he definitely brought it back out of me. And we’ve added more to it.
      “So I think Coach John would be the perfect boxing coach for Jonny Bones.”

      Jon Jones is currently putting on size ahead of his eagerly-anticipated heavyweight debut

      Although Jones has teased a switch to the boxing world, his sights are seemingly set on becoming a two-division UFC champion.
      The New Yorker vacated the light-heavyweight title last August to begin preparations for his eagerly-anticipated move up to heavyweight, which many believe should’ve happened years ago.
      A date for his return to the octagon, which he last graced in February 2020, hasn’t been set.
      But UFC president Dana White recently revealed the man considered by many to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time will face the winner of Stipe Miocic’s title defence against France Ngannou next month.

      Jon Jones transforms his body as he works up a sweat in the gym More

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      Paige VanZant to fight ‘well-known name’ in summer as BKFC chief says ex-UFC star ‘worth everything’ of lucrative deal

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      PAIGE VANZANT will take on a ‘well-known name’ in her second Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship outing, the promotion’s president Dave Feldman has revealed.
      The former UFC strawweight made her BKFC debut earlier this month against Britain Hart, suffering a unanimous decision loss to the pro boxer.

      Paige VanZant (R) made her BKFC debut against Britain Hart earlier this month

      The former UFC strawweight suffered a unanimous decision loss in her BKFC debut

      But the 26-year-old is set to perform a quick turnaround and get back in the ring early in the summer.
      Feldman told MMA Fighting: “I can confidently say Paige VanZant absolutely will be back with us here in early to mid-summer.
      “100 percent. We are 100 percent in the Paige VanZant business.
      “We like being in that business. She delivered for us on every aspect we needed and finished the fight strong so that was very important for us.”

      VanZant inked a multi-million-pound deal with BKFC last summer after being released by the UFC following her submission loss to Amanda Ribas.
      Despite VanZant coming up short in her promotional bow, Feldman insists BKFC’s acquisition of the American Top Team standout has so far been a success.
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      He said: “Some people looked at me crazy ‘you’re paying her too much, you’re doing this, you’re doing that.’

      “I said, ‘Look I don’t know everything but I know what I’m doing on this stuff and she delivered.’
      “She delivered on every aspect that we needed her to deliver on.
      “She was worth everything that we gave her and it’s a great partnership.
      “She did everything we wanted her to do and we did everything she wanted us to do. We definitely have a win-win relationship.

      PVZ will be back in the BKFC ring in the summer

      “I said in all my interviews and I said to you, I really take my hat off to her because she didn’t have to do this.
      “Now I take my hat off to her even more because she definitely doesn’t have to do this again.
      “She’s doing it and she really wants to prove herself and that’s the kind of person that I wanted to be in business with, the kind of person I have a lot of respect for.”
      Feldman is looking forward to seeing how PVZ bounces back from her latest setback and fully expects her to level up in her next fight.
      He said: “I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do. I think she’s going to adapt a lot more.
      “I think she’s really going to take a step up in her next fight.”

      Paige VanZant talks about joining WWE on Chris Van Vliet’s YouTube podcast More

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      Jake Paul’s coach backs YouTuber to KO Dillon Danis in ONE ROUND with MMA star ’embarrassing himself’ with boxing clips

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      JAKE PAUL’S coach said Dillon Danis would not last a round with the YouTuber – and blasted his ’embarrassing’ boxing training.
      Danis is still recovering from a knee injury and uploaded footage of himself sparring.

      BJ Flores pictured training Jake Paul

      Dillon Danis pictured during a boxing sparring session

      The 2-0 Bellator welterweight rejected the chance to face Paul in April, citing he is sidelined from fighting until the summer.
      Still, the war of words between the online rivals has continued, with trainer and ex-cruiserweight contender BJ Flores now involved.
      Flores, who has coached Paul since he turned pro in 2020, urged Danis to stop uploading clips of his boxing training to save himself from humiliation.
      He told Khabib Nurmagomedov’s trainer Javier Mendez: “Listen to me very carefully.

      “Whoever knows Dillon Danis, whoever’s friends with him, they’ve gotta tell him to stop posting videos of him punching, please. Just tell him, like please.
      “Dillon, you’re trying to say you’re going to box Jake and everything yet you post these videos punching and it just shows you’re at another universe bro, you really are.
      “You got a long, long way to go. He’s a great wrestler, I respect him as far as a wrestler, but his mouth and his punching are terrible… terrible.
      “He won’t last one round with Jake, Javier, he won’t last one round, I’m serious.

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      “He keeps posting these videos of him punching and I’m like ‘bro you’re embarrassing yourself.’
      “You don’t even know enough to know you’re embarrassing yourself. He’s terrible.”
      Paul, 24, offered Danis, 27, the chance to settle their score this April.
      But after Conor McGregor’s training partner was unable to do so, retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, 36, instead accepted the fight.
      Still, it has not stopped Danis from privately trying to provoke Paul’s cornerman.
      Flores said: “I’d love to have Jake whoop Dillon Danis’ ass just so Dillon Danis stays out of my DMs.

      Dillon Danis is a training partner of Conor McGregor’sCredit: @dillondanis

      Jake Paul pictured after a sparring sessionCredit: Instagram / @danieltoretto
      “He’s always DMing me and stuff like that, like ‘Oh, BJ, blah, blah, blah.’
      “I’m like, dude, you’re done bro, nobody’s listening to you, like, know what I mean?
      “He’s sending me DMs and I stopped responding to the kid. I dunno, I stopped responding to him, he’s obviously not about the fight.”
      Paul turned pro last January and beat internet foe ‘AnEsonGib’ – real name Ali Al-Fakhri – in one round.
      He then made it two knockouts in as many fights in November as he brutally left ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 36, out cold and into a meme.
      Paul then set his sights on UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 32, and even claimed he had a $50million cheque ready to go.

      Jake Paul knocked out Nate Robinson in his second fightCredit: USA TODAY Sports
      But after McGregor was KOd on his UFC return in January by Dustin Poirier, 32, the offer was instead retracted to just $10,000.
      Paul is now hoping to face McGregor’s famous nemesis Nate Diaz, 35, who is open to the boxing match when his UFC contract – which he has two fights left on – expires.
      And Flores admitted despite the bad blood with Danis, he would rather his man box Diaz or his brother Nick, 37.
      He explained: “We’re going to make a statement out of Ben and then after that we’ll see what happens.
      “But, Nate and Nick are great names, Dillon Danis is definitely not a great name but Nate and Nick would be an honour.
      “I’d rather Jake go straight to one of those guys instead of give Dillon an opportunity because he really doesn’t deserve it.”

      Nick Diaz, left, next to brother Nate More

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      Watch ex-UFC star Ben Askren training to fight Jake Paul as TJ Dillashaw admits MMA world is ‘very nervous right now’

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      RARE footage of Ben Askren training for his upcoming boxing match with Jake Paul has been released.
      Ex-UFC welterweight Askren is coming out of retirement on April 17 to face the YouTube sensation.

      Ben Askren training for his upcoming boxing match against Jake Paul

      Jake Paul pictured with his boxing trainer Cornelius Bundrage

      Jake Paul pictured after a training session

      Paul, 24, is 2-0 in his career, both by knockout, and also has a white collar win in 2018 to his name.
      While Askren, 36, despite having vast more amount of fighting experience in MMA, was renowned for his wrestling and grappling style.
      He has recently been captured preparing for his boxing debut by hitting the pads, landing combinations.
      Askren only had six knockouts in his 19 MMA wins, where he won titles in Bellator and ONE Championship.

      Former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw is rooting for the American but admitted those in the MMA business are ‘very nervous right now’.
      Dillashaw, 35, told Mike Swick: “Askren should win right, but I’m nervous about it.
      “You watch him strike and it’s like the MMA world is very nervous right now that he’s gonna be.
      “He should win the fight. He should be smart enough.

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      “I mean Jake Paul is gonna get tired, he should be able to wear him out and make him lose his explosiveness and dance around and get the win.
      “But I wouldn’t say Askren’s the better striker I think he’s just the better competitor and that’s what’s gonna win him the fight.
      “At least I really hope so, my fingers are crossed because man, crazy.” More

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      Inside Jake Paul’s brutal pre-fight diet as YouTube star cuts out fatty foods ahead of Ben Askren bout

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      YOUTUBE star Jake Paul is cutting no corners as he plots what would be the most impressive win of his fledgling boxing career.
      Having already beaten AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul is targeting a victory over former Bellator and One Championship welterweight king Ben Askren on April 17.

      Jake Paul is cutting no corners with his diet

      Jake Paul is cutting no corner in trying to get his boxing career off the groundCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Askren, 36, was known in MMA as more of a grappler than a striker, leaving him heading into the ring against Paul without his best tools.
      But according to Jacked Gorilla, Paul is taking nothing for granted against the seasoned combat competitor, with his disciplined diet reflecting his seriousness.
      The 24-year-old begins his day with a breakfast of oatmeal and fruit.
      Snacks are limited for the ripped American, with only protein shakes or even ice cubes allowed when he is in training.

      For lunch, he tucks into tasty salmon and veg.
      And dinner consists of chicken and salad.
      True to form, Paul was spotted by Page Six insiders out for a healthy meal at The Gramercy in Florida on Sunday.
      He kept his order ‘clean and light’, by opting for his trusty combo of grilled chicken and water.

      Ben Askren is aiming to teach Jake Paul a lessonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      But he did promise the restaurant’s management that he’d be back, victorious, to try their deviled eggs and banana split.
      Askren will have something to say about that, however, having belittled Paul as a boxing ‘pretender’.
      He told ESPN: “I know Jake Paul is enjoying pretending he is a fighter.
      “I think on April 17 he is going to have a rude awakening to what being a fighter is really like. Jake has led a privileged life… I’m going to put his dreams to an end.”
      Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, however, has admitted that the MMA community are ‘very nervous right now’.
      He told Mike Swick: “Askren should win right, but I’m nervous about it.
      “You watch him strike and it’s like the MMA world is very nervous right now that he’s gonna be.

      I wouldn’t say Askren’s the better striker I think he’s just the better competitor and that’s what’s gonna win him the fight
      TJ Dillashaw

      “He should win the fight. He should be smart enough.
      “I mean Jake Paul is gonna get tired, he should be able to wear him out and make him lose his explosiveness and dance around and get the win.
      “But I wouldn’t say Askren’s the better striker I think he’s just the better competitor and that’s what’s gonna win him the fight.
      “At least I really hope so, my fingers are crossed because man, crazy.”

      Watch YouTuber Jake Paul training to fight ex-UFC star Ben Askren More

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      Jake Paul vs Ben Askren will do 2m PPVs making it boxing’s fifth most-viewed fight ever, says Triller’s Hollywood backer

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      JAKE PAUL and Ben Askren are on course to become boxing’s fifth most-viewed fight ever with 2million pay-per-views, Triller’s Hollywood backer said.
      YouTube phenomenon Paul and retired UFC welterweight Askren are set to box on April 17, on social media app Triller’s ‘Fight Club’ PPV platform.

      Jake Paul is set to fight ex-UFC star Ben AskrenCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ben Askren and Jake Paul are projected to sell 2m PPVsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The brains behind the operation is Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of billion dollar film company Relativity Media, who have produced over 250 movies.
      Kavanaugh entered the boxing business with a boom last November, bringing heavyweight icon Mike Tyson, 54, out of retirement.
      And on the undercard, Paul, 24, became a viral sensation after knocking out ex-NBA point guard Nate Robinson, 36.
      The nostalgia of Tyson’s first fight in 15 years and Paul’s army of fans helped the spectacle event sell 1.6m PPVs.

      But Kavanaugh claimed he has the numbers to prove that Askren’s shot at the internet star will surpass those figures and smash at least 2m box office buys.
      He told SunSport: “We run some analytics and statistics on our fights in terms of what we project it will do.
      “I actually project this fight will be in the top five all-time pay-per-views, more than Tyson.
      “A lot of variables go into our AI that’s running but what we look at is the social activity and the type of audience.

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      “In Jake’s case, you’ve got a guy that when you analyse the amount of interactivity that he’s getting socially on the content he posts, you basically know that he and that fight is already good for about 1.5m buys.
      “Then, you take the fact that Askren brings an MMA audience with him that others don’t, meaning it’s a steeper audience.
      “We haven’t announced our undercard yet but we have some pretty awesome fights on that card that will excite even the highest of boxing purists.
      “Then you add on all the music talent like we had last time and we’re shooting it a whole different way.
      “When you add each of those components we don’t see how we do under 2m buys.”
      Paul made his professional boxing debut in 2020, having won an exhibition bout in England in 2018.
      He quickly recorded two KOs in as many fights, firstly against online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and then Robinson.
      Paul has since emerged as one of the most polarising characters in boxing after just 12 months in the sport.

      Ryan Kavanaugh with actor Channing TatumCredit: Getty Images
      Despite not yet beating an opponent with fighting experience, he called out UFC pair Conor McGregor, 32, and Nate Diaz, 35.
      With 20MILLION YouTube subscribers behind him, and PPV interest to back it up, the ex-vlogger has promised to become ‘the future of boxing’.
      And Kavanaugh reckons if Paul can convince his masses of fans and followers to support his boxing career, he can be good to his word.
      He said: “Boxing was not an under 30s sport it was an over 30s sport.
      “So what I would say is that he might become the face of boxing, not because everyone in boxing says he’s the face of boxing, but he brings a whole other audience to boxing.
      “When I say the ‘face’, if he brings a million people with him to the buys, a lot of them were not buyers of boxing before.”
      Despite Paul’s promise as a PPV attraction, he is yet to test himself against a challenger with a background in fighting.
      That will change in just under two months, when he faces Askren, who won titles in Bellator and ONE Championship before joining the UFC in 2019.

      Jake Paul knocked out ex-NBA star Nate RobinsonCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Ben Askren submitted Robbie Lawler at UFC 235 in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The American, who retired after three UFC fights, is not recognised for his striking skills and instead relied on wrestling and grappling.
      But Askren, 36, is an experienced veteran and Kavanaugh argues Paul should be credited for his drastic step up in competition.
      He explained: “There’s definitely a big question on whether he’s going to win.
      “He’s going up against somebody considered to be one of the best fighters in the world.
      “In boxing, I get you’re only as big as your last fight and so on and so forth, just like in Hollywood you’re only as good as your last movie, but I think it’s a bit different with Jake.
      “Because here’s a guy that isn’t a traditionally trained fighter, it’s not his first career and he’s getting in the ring with a guy who is a traditionally trained fighter whose spent his life between wrestling and mixed martial arts.
      “I think win or lose people will give Jake the credit for getting in the ring with someone who is that ferocious.”

      Jake Paul is now 2-0 as a boxerCredit: Instagram @jakepaul

      Jake Paul pictured after a training session More