Tommy Fury has been warned by his teammate and former world champion Andy Lee that he is in for a "tricky" night when he faces Jake Paul in Saudi Arabia next month.
The ex-middleweight champion is a cousin of Tommy's brother, Tyson, and cornered him during his world title win over Deontay Wilder, and has spent a small amount of time with the 23-year-old in the gym while preparing for fights. And while he believes that the younger Fury will get the win, he understands the threat that Paul poses as well.
Fury has the more boxing experience, spending his life around the sport, with his dad John a former fighter, as well as Tyson and his cousin Hughie, who are both top heavyweights. But Paul will be the toughest test of his professional career, holding a 6-0 record that includes four knockouts.
"I've seen bits and pieces," Lee told Mirror Fighting of the younger Fury while speaking at the launch event for Jason Quigley's Dublin homecoming fight with Kim Poulsen on April 1. "I'd actually seen him spar Paddy [Donovan]'s brother-in-law Jason Hardy when they were first meant to fight and he got the rib injury.
"Bits and pieces, he's got good basic fundamentals, but he's very, very strong and naturally heavy-handed, Tommy. He's a big puncher and athletically built. Jake Paul, I think, is very strong and it's a good, well-matched fight. I know Tommy and I know his family - I believe he's going to win and I want him to win.
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"But I think it's a tricky fight, your man is a strong boy, Jake Paul. He's strong, he's picking up experience, working with good coaches and he won't be intimidated. Can you imagine a YouTube person never having a fight in his life and walking out to a stadium full of people half-naked, exposed, going to the ring for a boxing match? It's a good fight."
Fury will travel to Saudi Arabia this week to finish his camp and promote the fight, which takes place in Diriyah on February 26. He and Paul went head-to-head in London last month for the first time since signing the deal, but fans were left frustrated when he missed last week's launch press conference.
