UFC heavyweight and Tommy Fury's former training partner Tom Aspinall has offered his support to Jake Paul as he continues his boxing career.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer is a controversial figure in the combat sports world, and has an ongoing feud with Aspinall's old pal Fury. But he has also made a push for positive change with regards to fighter pay, demanding that Dana White offer UFC fighters more money than the current promotional average.
And he has the support of the No.6-ranked UFC heavyweight, who is set to return to the octagon against Curtis Blaydes in London on July 23. Aspinall has been close friends with Tommy, as well as his brother; world heavyweight champion Tyson and cousin Hughie, for years after briefly quitting MMA to pursue boxing.
But he still has respect for Paul's efforts to increase fighter pay, admitting during an episode of The Fellas podcast that he is ultimately supportive of the social media star. "First of all, I'll start by saying I'm a friend of Tommy Fury so I don't want to be too much on Team Jake Paul," Aspinall joked.
"But to be honest, I think that the stuff with Tommy is great for both guys anyway, fair play to both of them. I think [what Jake is doing for fighter pay] is great.
"I didn't know Jake Paul previous to all this s***, I didn't follow his YouTube, nothing like that. I only know what he's done through his fighting career, the short boxing career that he's had.
"I think he's very good, and what he's done, for me, I can't help but be impressed by that. I like the way he carries himself, that might be controversial. It's not for me, I wouldn't do that, but obviously me and him are different people. I like it, I like him."
In terms of a fight between Paul and his Love Island star pal, Aspinall has warned his old training partner to be wary of the 'erratic' style of the YouTube star. Fury was set to face Paul in Florida last December, but pulled out with a broken rib and was forced out of action for four months.
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But after a bruising win over 10-1 Polish fighter Daniel Bocianski on his brother Tyson's Wembley Stadium undercard last month, he has again put his name in the hat for a big-money Paul fight. The social media sensation is due back in the ring on August 13, with no opponent named as yet.
"What people need to remember about Tommy is that although he's a boxer, he's a novice boxer," Aspinall explained. "He's not got any world titles or anything like that, he's not fighting at that kind of level.
"But I think from what I've seen of Jake Paul which is minimal, I've not seen too much, Tommy's got the skills to beat him. But I don't think it's like a pushover fight, it's not a friggin' pro boxer against a Disney star, but I think his skill level is way beyond that.
"Jake needs to be taken serious because there are some skills there and he's quite dangerous as well. His style is quite erratic and he's got power, so I don't think it's as smooth sailing as people might think it is."
