MMA sensation Mike Perry is set to face off against Jake Paul on July 20th at the Amalie Arena, stepping in for the legendary Mike Tyson who had to delay their bout until later this year. The BKFC champion has issued a stern warning to Paul, declaring, “I’m going to beat your ***.”
Perry, a UFC veteran with 15 fights under his belt, has only fought professionally in boxing once before, suffering a knockout at the hands of Kenneth McNeil almost ten years ago. Eager to redeem his previous boxing defeat from 2015, Perry’s upcoming match against Paul is seen as a warm-up for Paul’s eventual showdown with Tyson.
Retaining the original date planned for Paul and Tyson’s postponed match, this fight presents a risky move for the influencer-turned-pugilist. A defeat to Perry could tarnish “Problem Child” Paul’s reputation, not to mention the ever-present threat of injury ahead of his bout with Tyson.
Despite the stakes, Perry is laser-focused on the immediate challenge in Tampa, Florida, disregarding the hype around Paul’s later bout with Tyson. He’s determined to cause an upset and made his feelings about Paul clear during an interview on TMZ Sports TV show, expressing his animosity: “Jake, bro, we’ve never been friends. He’s never been cool with me, he wanted to beat me up, and he’s a sneaky little snake,” Perry raged in an explosive tirade. “I’m gonna knock the teeth out of his mouth. Screw him. Screw you, Jake. I’ll beat your ass.”
Confident in his ability to take down the “Problem Child” this summer, Perry boldly assessed his opponent’s skills, declaring: “Jake can take his gloves off and I can put the gloves on and I’m still beating him up. He can fight me bare-knuckle, and I’m beating him up with 10-ounce gloves.”
“I know his right hand. I understood it then when he hit me with it; that’s his little thing, and I understand it. I also got a few shots in that I’m really good at.
We’re both in it for a fight. It’s going to be a fight, and it’s going to be a test of wills.” Before the bout, Perry issued a final warning: “If he’s putting pressure on me to get me out of there, I’m going to get him out quicker. When it comes to adrenaline, and that night of July 20th, I’m going to be a problem for everyone on this planet.”
Paul seems to be eagerly anticipating his bout with the MMA star, stating: “When Paul vs. Tyson was rescheduled, I knew immediately that I wanted to still fight on Saturday, July 20. Now, as I prepare for my fight against Iron Mike, there’s no better opponent for me than Mike Perry. He’s a proven knockout artist who has shown to be a maniac in and out of the ring.”
“This is the perfect experience for me to gain in advance of facing Mike Tyson. But getting that experience comes with risk. Those who know me know I’m a risk taker and while ‘Platinum’ Perry might try to end me, I’m Titanium Jake Paul and I fear no man.”
