Jake Paul has a surprising fan in Tommy and Tyson Fury's dad; 'Big John' Fury.
The former heavyweight fighter has been aggressive in his words towards the YouTube star in the past, but has now admitted he actually appreciates his business mind.
Paul is a fierce rival of Fury's son Tommy, and could be just one fight away from facing the Love Island star as he prepares to face Tyron Woodley this weekend.
"I could actually like that kid," Fury admitted as part of a BT Sport panel. "Because at 24-years-old he's showing a fantastic mindset and business brain.
"He has calculated words, you don't see it in kids his age today, do you?
"You know what? I like that kid, I really do, but can he beat Tommy? Definitely not, because what I see in him behind his words and bravado is fear.
"It's nothing but fear because he knows what's going to happen to him."
However, liking the social media sensation doesn't mean that he believes Paul can beat his son if they do eventually square off.
The younger Fury has a big fight on the undercard of Paul's bout with Woodley; facing MMA veteran Anthony Taylor.
But John doesn't think Paul will be able to catch up with Tommy's considerable experience.
"The difference between the two men is Tommy has been fighting in the gym since he's been eight or nine years old," he added.
"I actually bought him his first pair of gloves when he was four and I did nothing but mess up and down on the bags training him and running him.
"He's been around champions of the world for almost his whole adult life, he's seen what it takes to be champion so Tommy has earned his stripes as a professional boxer.
"He's sparring these pros who are 10-0 or 15-0 - he was sparring a man named Tom Aspinall, big 6"4' guy top of the tree in his job.
"We were there at the start of his career and Tommy would do six-rounds with him at age 16, giving up about 5 inches of height and four stone.
"I know what's inside of Tommy, and this guy here, he wouldn't able to live in the same environment as Tommy."
Paul has also been surrounded with world level fighters in his young career, being coached by first Milton Lacroix and now former world title contender BJ Flores.
He has even stepped between the ropes with the likes of Jean Pascal and J'Leon Love for sparring sessions, as well as Flores and Fury's next opponent Taylor.
And Woodley, his opponent on Sunday, is a world champion in his won right, winning the UFC welterweight belt during his MMA career and defending the strap four times before losing it in 2019 to Kamaru Usman.
