Ben Askren hits hard, can beat Jake Paul —Freddie Roach

Former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight world champion Ben Askren is capable of beating YouTube sensation Jake Paul, said Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

The pair is slated to clash this weekend in an eight-round boxing match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States.

Askren, 36, is notorious for his subpar striking throughout his mixed martial arts career but has seemingly improved in his latest boxing videos.

"He hits hard; very hard. He hit me on the chin one day and I can tell you, I felt that," Roach told Yahoo Sports.

"He got off the plane and came over to work and he did 12 rounds straight on the mitts no problem."

Paul is 2-0 with two knockouts as a pro boxer. He last fought against former NBA Slam Dunk champion last November and won via second-round knockout.

Askren is seen as the underdog in his pro boxing debut despite his decorated MMA career.

Regardless of the odds, Roach, who trained Askren to box for a short period of time, believes that the renowned wrestler can muster a victory should he stick to the plan.

"Honestly, I think he has everything he needs to beat this guy, but he has to fight the right fight. He knows that," Roach stated.

"We've come up with a good game plan and as long as he sticks to it, I think he will win, yes."

—MGP, GMA News