NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio — Before Jake Paul was preparing to take on boxing legend Mike Tyson during a primetime event on Netflix Friday night, the Greater Cleveland native was learning the ropes under the guidance of coaches like Christopher Cox.
Cox has been preparing kids to enter the ring for 32 years at various gyms across Northeast Ohio, and he currently runs Hooligans Boxing & MMA in North Ridgeville. He's trained some impressive talent along the way, like MMA fighter Jose Martinez. But among his many students over the years were the Paul brothers.
"This is Logan Paul and Jake Paul," Cox said, pointing to a group picture that included the two brothers. Another photo showed them standing next to each other and Cox in 2010.
Jake Paul, who was raised in Westlake, would go on to gain a massive following as a YouTube star, actor, and, more recently, a professional boxer.
"He is an aggressive fighter," Cox said. "He has a little more ring intelligence — or what we call ring IQ — than has been led on.”
The 27-year-old Paul will need that as goes head-to-head with one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time: 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Tensions have been building for months leading up to the primetime event exclusively on Netflix.
During weigh-ins, Paul crawled up to Tyson, who then slapped him in the face.
"When you have the best money can buy in sparring partners, the best money can buy in coaching, that is always going to improve the fighter," Cox said of Paul. "Of course, if he (Tyson) lands one of those punches and Jake is not leaning to the age-old "protect yourself at all times," well, Jake, I love you, but it's going to be bad."
Tyson's last competitive fight was nearly 20 years ago. Cox isn't sure he’ll have the endurance he needs.
"When you have Mike Tyson well past his prime, everyone has a puncher's chance, OK?" Cox explained. "Now, Mike Tyson is a dog. I expect him to bring the fight. If the fight is done in the first two rounds, it's going to be Mike Tyson. Just, period. Point blank."
No matter who comes out on top, Paul's former coach is glad to see him boxing on the national stage, and he believes it will ultimately have a positive impact on the sport.
"Whether people want to believe it or not, Jake Paul is bringing notoriety where it had been lacking in boxing and MMA had taken a huge gain," Cox told 3News. "His social media presence has brought new people in, and boxing needed that shot in the arm. They need that."
If the fight brings more people to the ring and to gyms in Northeast Ohio and across the country, Cox — whose mission is to help youth through the sport — will consider it a knockout.
"Boxing empowers children. Not only does it stop those from being bullied to continue being bullied, it actually takes the bully out of being a bully," he said. "Any child that is on the streets that is looking for camaraderie or a family, they find that in a gym."
Friday's fight is streaming exclusively on Netflix. The event starts at 8 p.m. with three other fights before Paul and Tyson get in the ring.