‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley has taken over as Jake Paul’s new trainer. This news comes as BJ Flores, Paul’s previous head trainer, steps down to take on an advisory role. Mosley discussed the changes and his ambitions for Paul in an exclusive interview with Sporting Post.
Firstly, Mosley confirmed his new role as Paul’s trainer, replacing Flores. He also expressed some retrospective criticism about the fight with Tommy Fury, asserting that it should not have happened.
Most significantly, Mosley voiced big aspirations for Paul under his guidance, stating that he has the ability to mold him into a world champion. Additionally, he touted Paul’s formidable power, suggesting that he could potentially knock out Conor McGregor, the former UFC champion.
Jake Paul not using BJ Flores as trainer now so I’m stepping in – but he is still part of the team
Mosley: “I’m now a co-trainer of Jake Paul. I was there for one of his early fights with AnesonGib, I helped start him off. Then I left him with BJ Flores and now something has happened between Jake and BJ – I think Jake said something like BJ has taken him as far as he could and has let him go. Anyway, I saw the Tommy Fury fight and I texted him and said we need to work on some stuff. Sometimes you miss certain stages in your boxing career.
“He learned very quickly and went straight into sparring with experienced guys. But I think he missed the middle part of his development. So that’s what we’re working on. I’m coming to help. I’m not the head trainer but the legendary trainer, who knows different things because I’ve been in there and seen it and done it.
“Tommy was throwing a lot of unusual punches and Jake wasn’t ready for that amateur type of style Tommy had. Yes, Tommy dictated the range, but it was more so Jake did not know how to get to him, like cutting off the ring. There are different types of movement he could have done to draw him and to counter that he has not used yet, so we’ll teach him different things. So when he fights this type of fight again, that mistake won’t happen again, where he gets stuck and does not know what to do. I want him to know everything so he knows what to do.
“He will avenge that defeat to Fury. He’s only lacking in experience right now, that’s all. He would win if he rematched him next. He’s in good hands. With me and the whole team. I believe he’s going to improve very fast.”
Paul should never have fought Tommy Fury
Mosley: “I think he was sick and under the weather and he went ahead and fought anyway. There was also some mental stuff that was going on with him. It would be very difficult for anyone to go in there and fight considering what was going on for him personally.
“These are not excuses, just facts. Jake probably should not have been fighting that night. He wasn’t prepared mentally or physically.It would have been up to him – because I’ve taken fights I should not have taken – but had I been involved I would have suggested postponing the Fury fight by two or three weeks to let him heal a little bit. Give him another fight with Tommy and I’m sure will do very well.”
I can transform Paul into world champion
Mosley: “We’re trying to transform him into someone that can challenge for a world title or win a title at cruiserweight one day. But he needs to learn the proper stuff, because he started late, like Deontay Wilder.
“He is athletic but we need to mould him into a top fighter. He needs to beat Tommy first, but that’s the way we want to go. I want him to really understand what’s happening in the ring.”
Paul has the power to knock out Conor McGregor
“I’m not sure he would knock out McGregor because he’s a good mover, so he’s more difficult to get to. Jake has the power to knock him out.
“But Conor moves well whereas Nate comes straight to you. Conor we’d have to figure out.”