Editor’s note: This article was originally published on MMAJunkie.com.
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In preparation to box a YouTuber-turned-professional boxer, Tyron Woodley has turned to TBE – “The Best Ever.”
Woodley, the former UFC welterweight champion, has enlisted Floyd Mayweather to train him ahead of his highly anticipated Aug. 28 boxing showdown with Jake Paul. The nature of Mayweather’s involvement or how long he’ll assist Woodley is unclear, but Woodley revealed photos from a training session Thursday on social media.
“Bank Robbery in progress,” Woodley tweeted. “Y’all f*cked up! It’s stuck now!!”
The fight between Woodley and Jake Paul was announced just days before Mayweather’s exhibition bout with Jakes’ brother and fellow YouTuber Logan Paul took place. During fight week, Mayweather publicly invited Woodley to train with him.
“Get me Tyron Woodley,” Mayweather told reporters then. “I’m gonna make sure I get him in camp, and I’m gonna train him for this fight. I want Tyron Woodley to come to Las Vegas and work with us.”
Logan Paul went on to last all eight rounds with Mayweather, who played up the entertainment aspect of the event after the fight.
Woodley, 39, is a former collegiate All-American wrestler who found great success in MMA, competing in Strikeforce before going on to become UFC welterweight champion with a knockout of Robbie Lawler in July 2016. Woodley defended his title three times (with one draw) before dropping it to current champ Kamaru Usman in March 2019. That kicked off a four-fight losing streak, which led to Woodley parting with the UFC after fighting out his contract earlier this year.
It didn’t take long to sign a deal to fight Jake Paul, who will enter their fight off a first-round knockout of Woodley’s friend and former MMA champ, Ben Askren, in just his third pro fight. Woodley was in Askren’s corner for that April 17 bout in Atlanta.
This will be the first time Woodley has boxed in his career.
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