Jake Paul: I'm risking 'biggest payday of my career' by facing Mike Perry before Mike Tyson
Jake Paul knows fighting Mike Perry just months before he enters the ring vs. Mike Tyson could cost him big.
Paul (9-1) will take on ex-UFC fighter turned bare-knuckle boxer Perry (0-1) in an eight-round cruiserweight boxing match July 20 in Tampa, Fla. The event airs on DAZN pay-per-view.
“The Problem Child” was scheduled to face Tyson on that date live on Netflix, but their fight was postponed to Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas after the boxing legend had an ulcer flareup.
“Why Mike Perry? Why now? Why not just wait? What about Mike Tyson? Yes, I am still fighting Mike Tyson Nov. 15,” Paul said on his YouTube channel. “However, Mike Tyson is one of the baddest men on this planet, he has way more experience than me, he’s a killer, and so why not gain more experience against another notorious known killer, Mike Perry? The bare-knuckle legend, the man that can’t be knocked out, the vicious, violent, brawler.
“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, who’s coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts of Andre August in December, then Ryan Bourland in March, is predicting a finish of Perry. “Platinum” was knocked out in his lone professional boxing match, but has only been knocked out once in 22 professional MMA fights.
“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 July 20.”