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Jake Paul is taking a significant gamble by fighting Mike Perry just months before his highly anticipated bout with Mike Tyson. Paul (9-1) is set to face former UFC fighter turned bare-knuckle boxer Perry (0-1) in an eight-round cruiserweight boxing match on July 20 in Tampa, Florida.
Originally, Paul was scheduled to fight Tyson on July 20 live on Netflix, but the bout was postponed to November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after the boxing legend experienced an ulcer flareup. Despite the rescheduling, Paul remains committed to facing Perry first.
"This guy is a f*cking lunatic. He’s undefeated in bare-knuckle, which is probably the craziest sport in the world. Not to mention, this fight has been brewing for years. …I think this fight is going to have some amazing press conference moments and really entertaining stuff that comes from it, but it is a major risk. I’m literally potentially sacrificing the biggest moment of my career, the biggest payday of my career if I lose to Mike Perry. But for some reason, these are the positions that I like to put myself in.”
Paul is coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts of Andre August in December and Ryan Bourland in March. He is confident in his ability to finish Perry, despite Perry's reputation as a tough opponent. "Platinum" Perry has only been knocked out once in 22 professional MMA fights, although he was knocked out in his lone professional boxing match.
"My official prediction for the fight: Three rounds or less," Paul said.
"Calling it now. These guys can’t hang with me, nobody’s really been able to see my skill from the past year. I’ve had new coaches, development has gone f*cking amazing, and I’m excited to put on a performance on July 20."
With his fight against Perry on the horizon, Paul is eager to prove his mettle before stepping into the ring with Tyson. The outcome of the July 20 bout could have significant implications for Paul's career and his much-anticipated showdown with Tyson.
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