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Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer
DALLAS – Jake Paul has shaken up his coaching staff following his first career loss.
The YouTube-star-turned-prizefighter told ESPN on Tuesday that he is now working with trainers Theo Chambers and legendary retired boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley, along with his longtime coach J’Leon Love, a current boxer.
Chambers, Paul said, is now his head coach. Paul’s previous coach BJ Flores will remain on the team as an advisory consultant, Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidardian told ESPN.
Paul, 26, is coming off a loss to Tommy Fury via split decision Feb. 26. Paul will face former UFC star Nate Diaz in a boxing match Aug. 5 in Dallas.
“I wanted to reconsider everyone on the team,” Paul told ESPN on Tuesday after the Paul vs. Diaz on-sale press conference at American Airlines Center. “Made some changes, went back to the drawing board. And basically, there were certain mistakes I was making that Shane and my head coach Theo Chambers identified and we’re on the same page about [them].”
Mosley was one of Paul’s first coaches, before Paul became one of the hottest names in boxing. Three years ago, Mosley didn’t have the time to devote to being a fulltime coach. But now he is able to take on that role and will be with Paul for his training camp in Puerto Rico.
“I think when he got in the ring with Tommy Fury, his mental wasn’t there, his health wasn’t 100% and there were a lot of things that were wrong,” Mosley said. “And there’s a couple little, minor technical things he should work on and could work on. But I think the main problem was [mental], how he approached the fight.”
Paul is 6-1 as a pro boxer, having made his debut in 2020. He owns wins over former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley (two). Fury was by far the most experienced boxer he had ever fought. Paul said he’s determined to patch up his game and continue on this boxing journey.
“A lot of people probably, at my level, would’ve just lost and went away or came back and fought someone easy or hid away for a while,” Paul said. “I’m doubling down. This is what I’m meant to be doing and I’m destined to do in life. And so, they see now, I think, that I’m dedicated even after a loss. I’m not just doing it for the money, I’m not just doing it to win. I’m not just doing it to knock people out. This is what I truly love and I’m passionate about.”
DIAZ STILL FACING BATTERY CHARGE
Diaz deflected questions about his ongoing criminal case in New Orleans, but made some changes following the incident. Diaz is being charged with felony second-degree battery after choking unconscious a man named Rodney Petersen following a boxing event last month.
Petersen is a 6-foot-4 social media influencer with a 1-0 pro boxing record and experience in amateur MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions. His online persona is that of a lookalike of Logan Paul, Jake’s very famous YouTuber and WWE star brother.
“Logan pulled up on me out of nowhere and he shouldn’t have,” Diaz said. “So, that’s all.”
When told it wasn’t actually Logan Paul, Diaz quipped: “That was Logan, bro. They were trying to play it like it wasn’t.”
Diaz has hired a significant security detail for all travel outside of his hometown of Stockton, California, per his representative Zach Rosenfield. The four large men were present Tuesday in Dallas for the press conference.
Diaz’s first court date in New Orleans is scheduled for June 28.
DIAZ THE PROMOTER
Diaz’s first combat sports card as a promoter could happen as early as this summer, he and Rosenfield said. The event under Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. banner could be MMA, boxing or a mixture of the two. Rosenfield said boxing is the frontrunner at the moment.
“I’m going to put all the biggest names that I can find on there and a bunch of good fighters that I know on there,” Diaz said. “And then we’re going to blow that out.”
The most interesting wrinkle? Diaz said, depending on what happens with the Paul fight, he could headline the Real Fight Inc. card himself against an opponent to be determined. He does have other options, though. Diaz’s was in dialogue with both Logan Paul (the real one) and Floyd Mayweather prior to booking the fight with Jake Paul. He also could go back to the UFC for a big fight.
“I’m going to have my show, but I would like to fight the best fighter in the world always,” Diaz said. “That’s my plan.”