Chatting on The Pat McAfee Show, Paul said that his intense sparring sessions have already left their mark, as he revealed that 28-1 heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez had performed some amateur rhinoplasty on the former YouTuber during sparring.
“I’m not going to lie, sparring the heavyweights, my nose has moved a couple millimeters in this camp,” Paul grinned.
“A guy by the name of Frank Sanchez, he definitely cracked it a little bit, so it definitely has a slight little something in there. But yeah, it’s bad. I’m like Squidward!”
Paul’s preparations have given him confidence that not only will he be able to survive the former unified heavyweight champion’s prodigious punch power, but also that he has what it takes to stop the former Olympic gold medallist.
“I don’t think he can knock me out because he’s not going to be able to line up his shots properly to be able to land the hard punch,” Paul explained.
“I think it’s going to be a very tough fight for multiple rounds, but then when I figure out his pacing, his style, his speed, his footwork, he’s going to get a little bit tired trying to chase me around and then I’m going to set up the shot.
“I’m not going to say exactly what, but I see what it is and I think it will end in the fifth or sixth round.”
Paul’s confidence comes not just from his own inner belief. He revealed that his coaches have told him that the work he’s doing in the gym will prove to be more intense and dangerous than fight night with Joshua.
“My coaches are some of the best in the world, and they tell me, ‘Look, we believe that the sparring you’re doing right now is going to be harder than the actual fight night,'” he said.
“They don’t lie to me, I trust in my coaches, and I also believe that as well.”
