ATLANTA – Ben Askren and Cornerman’s coach Mike Rhodes says Saturday’s fight with Jake Paul isn’t just for a salary.
Askren is set to retire from martial arts to make his professional boxing debut against Paul in the main event of Saturday’s Triller Fight Club event, which takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and is broadcast on pay-per-view.
Many have wondered why Askren, the former Bellator title and ONE championship title, would make the transition sport at this stage to face Paul. Askren said his payday will be more profitable than all the money he has won in three combined UFC fights, but Rhodes is convinced it is not his only incentive.
“I think people think Ben is here to just collect a check,” Rhodes told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “Ben is one of the most competitive people you can meet in your life. It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s competitive. … The last thing we want to do is lose to Jake Paul. If people think he’s just kidding or playing, you’ll see the fight. “
Askren is not known as a striker. His wrestling history has allowed him to become prominent in MMA, but Rhodes said he has noticed a change now that Askren has dedicated all his time and effort to working his hands over the past few months. It was not the easiest adjustment, but Rhodes saw the evolution and believes that Askren has reached a form that will lead to success on the night of the fight.
“If you look at Ben’s career and you look at Jake’s career, just the sheer amount of time and experience in the arena, whether it’s the boxing ring or the cage, he’ll be more comfortable there,” Rhodes said. . “So the longer the fight lasts, the better for us. Ben has said many times that he is not a fast-paced athlete. Those guys have better cardio, better conditioning, and I think one of the things Ben would say now is that he can focus singularly on boxing, the form of cardio he’s in now, he’s able to do that all day. We will dominate if the fight is close. All we have to do is make the fight competitive, because in time we will start to overcome it, because our experience in wrestling – not only in boxing, but in wrestling – will start to shine ”.
Rhodes said he did not promote Askren to be more than involved in the fight. He sees “awkward” attributes, such as power, that creates a path to victory for his fighter, with whom he will share a corner with former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. Finally, he predicts that Paul has many problems.
“I’m not going to blow smoke: I’m not going to say it just crushes the pads, but it has that awkward force,” Rhodes said. “Those guys who fought him will tell you he’s different. It’s not like taking a 600-pound bar and bench, but it makes those people feel weak. His power is awkward because his fist style is awkward. I think that will be an advantage. In positions where you don’t think he will be able to hit hard, he will be able to generate energy.
“I think Ben is a little hard to get to the point where he doesn’t have athletic strength, but at the end of the fist, it’s a bit. I think with his cardio and the hit numbers he can pull off, I think his power will be able to carry Jake, as opposed to a one-hit power type.
All this leads to a fascinating clash on Saturday. Rhodes insists that Askren should not be underestimated and aligns with his fighter’s prediction of a final TKO.
“I think they got confused – I think they thought Jake was going to dominate everything,” Rhodes said. “I think it is a very safe and reliable choice. If it happens anywhere before that and it goes to a decision and we win, fine. ”