Jake Paul's returning head trainer Shane Mosley has backed his charge to defeat Conor McGregor after his upcoming showdown with UFC legend Nate Diaz in August.
The YouTube star has returned to his ways of fighting MMA fighters after suffering his first career defeat to Tommy Fury in February in what was ultimately a big step up. And Mosley believes that he will be able to topple Diaz, and move on to a massive victory over two-weight world champion McGregor afterwards.
Paul has already knocked out world champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, as well as dropping Anderson Silva on his way to a decision win. And Mosley feels that he will ultimately get the social media sensation into a position where he can challenge for world honours after a few years.
Mosley admits that landing a knockout on the Irishman, who has only been put out once in his career, may prove difficult, but is confident that Paul could get a victory. “I'm not sure he would knock out McGregor because he's a good mover," he told Sporting Post.
"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.”
And he plans to make Paul a world champion eventually, adding: “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.
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"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... 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."
Mosley believes that the Fury fight may have come a bit too early, but is working towards getting him ready to win if he can put together a rematch with the Brit. “He will avenge that defeat to Fury," he insisted. "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.”
