PFL’s Anthony Pettis offers to help Ben Askren train for Jake Paul boxing match
- ‘I asked him, are you boxing? And he said, why wouldn’t I? He made some good points,’ says PFL’s new star signing
- ‘I hit him with some crazy stuff and he’s one of the toughest dudes out here,’ Pettis says of Roufusport training partner
Fresh from signing with the Professional Fighters League, Anthony Pettis is backing fellow former UFC star Ben Askren’s decision to box YouTuber Jake Paul – and has already offered his assistance.
The pair trained at Roufusport under coach Duke Roufus before the 36-year-old Askren (19-2) hung up his gloves for the second time following a brief but exciting run in the UFC.
The former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champ is getting back in the ring, however, to box Paul in March. The 23-year-old Paul has seemingly called out every MMA fighter under the sun following his knockout of retired NBA star Nate Robinson last month, and “Funky” is keen to shut him up.
“That’s funny. we were literally just texting today,” former UFC lightweight champ Pettis said. “He was actually the one who told me ONE was interested in doing some talking, seeing what numbers we can come together with.
“Immediately I asked him, ‘Yo, are you boxing?’ He was like, ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ He made some good points. I definitely offered my assistance. I love to box, that’s something I will do before my career ends, I will have a boxing fight, some kinda go in the ring.
“And to see him get this opportunity man, it’s amazing he’s one of them guys that’s had bad luck in the UFC, a little bad run with Masvidal and Maia.