Wrexham football player James McClean, known for his tough style on the field, has received support from his former manager, Tony Pulis, who believes McClean could defeat Jake Paul in a boxing match.
McClean, who played under Pulis at West Bromwich Albion, is renowned for his physical presence and tenacity. He also engages in boxing training as a pastime.
His former boss, Pulis, indicated that McClean was the most intimidating player he coached and thinks he could defeat Paul.
Speaking to OLBG, Pulis commented, “Honestly, nobody would want to step into a boxing ring with James McClean. I witnessed it firsthand at West Brom. He possesses the quickest hands I`ve ever seen on a professional footballer. He worked diligently on the punch bag and with gloves. James, without a doubt.”
Pulis added, “As I`ve mentioned, I have great respect for James. Sometimes he might not handle situations perfectly with his words or actions, but fundamentally, he`s a truly good person. I genuinely value him. And believe me, I`ve seen him training with boxing gloves.”
“You wouldn`t want to face him in the ring. Facing Jake Paul? McClean would win easily.”
The 36-year-old McClean played 111 games for Stoke City after moving from West Brom, having previously played for Wigan and Sunderland.
He rejoined Wigan in 2021 before transferring to Wrexham two years later, where he recently celebrated promotion to the Championship league.
In the last season, the left winger netted four times, contributing to Wrexham`s promotion from non-league status to the second tier of English football under their Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
McClean, an international with 103 caps and 11 goals for Ireland, frequently shares glimpses of his boxing workouts guided by former professional boxer Derry Matthews.
Meanwhile, Jake Paul, the YouTuber who became a boxer, holds a professional record of 11 wins and 1 loss.
His sole defeat was a points loss to Tommy Fury (25) in 2023. His most recent bout in November saw him defeat Mike Tyson (58).
The 28-year-old Paul is scheduled to return to the ring on June 28 in California for a cruiserweight fight against former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (39).
In 2020, the American boxer knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson. He has also previously been challenged by figures from other sports, such as darts champion Gerwyn Price (40).
