Jeff Fenech has spoken of his pride in Mike Tyson after seeing his close mate turn his life around, and backs the former heavyweight king to emphatically beat Jake Paul in their mega-fight.

Australian boxing great Fenech helped train Tyson for his most recent boxing bout, a 2020 exhibition contest against Roy Jones Jr, and believes Iron MIke will dispatch YouTuber Paul inside two rounds when they meet on July 20 in Texas.

‘I have no doubt if Mike takes it easy and doesn’t try to punch at the same time, if he makes Jake Paul miss, Mike will knock him out in a couple of rounds. One-hundred per cent,’ Fenech told Wide World of Sports.

Jeff Fenech has revealed his pride in close friend and boxing great Mike Tyson

‘I spoke to Mike and I told him what I felt. Hopefully he’ll listen to me. We said the same thing anyway. If he does what he said then I have no doubt he will knock him out. He’ll have no problem.’

Fenech trained Tyson prior to his shock loss to Kevin McBride in 2006 and has maintained a close relationship with the popular American, revealing that they remain in touch.

‘We’re still close. He’s contacted me three or four times since I’ve been sick to check that I’m OK,’ Fenech said.

Fenech trained Tyson for a short period and remains close with the former champion

‘We were talking about my health and that. I’m not worried about my health, don’t get me wrong I am, but I’m more worried about him, and hope he does the right thing to beat Jake Paul.

‘If Mike lands one clean punch. If he makes him miss, he will make him pay. If he doesn’t try and strike at the same time, and is patient, the fight could be over in one minute.

‘This is all about money and social media shit. I know nothing about it because I’m not into that stuff.

‘Imagine how much money they’re making on social media without even fighting? They’d be making a killing, with sponsorship and all that. It’s crazy.’

The Australian boxing great is astounded by Tyson's transformation in later life

Fenech remembers being with Tyson during his lowest moments, and says he is incredibly proud of the heavyweight’s transformation in later life.

I’ve told Mike, you don’t know how proud I am of you. How you’ve changed everything around you. As long as I’ve been with him, things have been tough,’ Fenech revealed.

‘I’ve walked into the house one time and saw him on the couch and thought he was dead, the way he was laying there. He must have been out all night.

Fenech has backed Iron Mike to knock Jake Paul out inside two rounds on July 20

‘Now I look at where he is now and I think…shit is this the light? Because I used to call him a light switch.

‘When he’s on; he’s on. When it’s off; it’s off. Is this the same guy? But it is. It’s been a major transformation. I credit his wife for it.

‘He’s got a beautiful wife and a beautiful family. He’s around good people at the moment and that’s what life is about.

‘If you’re around good people good things happen. You don’t do bad things because you’re around good people.’