Ben Askren’s Coach and Sparring Partners: How Is ‘Funky’ Training for Jake Paul?
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SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – SEPTEMBER 03: Ben Askren fields questions from the media during a UFC Singapore on-sale press conference at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on September 03, 2019 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)
Ben Askren will face Jake Paul in a highly anticipated bout this weekend. However, this will be the former MMA champion’s first boxing bout. And coming from a wrestling background, there have been many questions raised about Askren’s striking.
However, ‘Funky’ has now given an update about his training and preparation. He revealed who has trained and sparred with to ready himself for the bout. As a result, we could see a new look Askren on Saturday.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 02: Ben Askren celebrates his submission victory over Robbie Lawler in their welterweight bout during the UFC 235 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 2, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The 19-2 MMA fighter spoke to Viddal Riley on YouTube and revealed the details of his preparation. He said, “Yeah, so I went to Freddie Roach’s for a week and that was awesome. And obviously, he has a whole bunch of guys who were really high-level there. And then I brought in this guy, Cornelius Bundrage, who was a world champion.”
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The former champion then confirmed that Bundrage helped him throughout the week and would continue to do so until fight night. Therefore, these comments showed just how seriously Askren took his training.
Has the training helped Ben Askren?
Askren’s revelation proved he is doing everything in his power to beat Jake Paul. Although striking was never his forte, Askren sought the help of an expert boxing coach and a former world champion. So what effect has this had on ‘Funky’ Ben?
The initial videos showed the American’s horrific striking technique. As a result, many favored Paul to knock out Askren. However, recent footage has shown just how much the former MMA champion has improved. He looks more comfortable and much faster.
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Askren’s balance looks better, and his form has certainly picked up. Therefore, there has been massive improvement since the first video. Although, it could all be mind games from the former UFC fighter to raise doubts among Paul’s camp.
It remains to be seen if these improvements will be enough to beat ‘The Problem Child’. Only time will tell if Askren’s coaches and sparring partners have made a difference to his approach.
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What do you make of Ben Askren’s training with Freddie Roach and Cornelius Bundrage? Do you think it will be the defining factor in the fight against Jake Paul?
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