It’s not the fight we wanted when Jake Paul was originally going to take on former heavyweight champion and nearly 60-year-old Mike Tyson. That matchup is intriguing in its own right. With Tyson forced out due to a medical condition and the bout rescheduled for later in the year, Paul continues his pursuit of a world championship by taking on former MMA fighter and bare knuckle brawler Mike Perry in an 8-round bout set for Saturday, July 20 in Tampa, Fla.
While not a traditional boxer Perry does have some experience in the ring with a few bouts prior to his MMA career. He’s been a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) performer since 2021 when his UFC contract expired posting a 5-0 record as a middleweight in BKFC. Despite being a +240 underdog on the early boxing betting line, Perry is the type of fighter that can give Paul problems with his relentless style. However, Paul’s early boxing career was littered with combat sport veterans and he flawlessly handled them, which is why he’s a -300 favorite.
Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul Betting Odds
Mike Perry +240
Jake Paul -300
The 8-round cruiserweight fight between Mike Perry (5-0, 3 KOs BKFC) and Jake Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The fight will be on DAZN pay-per-view.
Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul Fight Preview
Paul’s entry into boxing was viewed as a gimmick originally, a way for the YouTuber and social media influencer to cultivate a bigger audience. However, during his brief boxing career Paul has shown to be quite adept in the sport with dreams of becoming a world champion in 2025. He had been going in that direction after starting his boxing career against mostly MMA fighters, chalking up wins against Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
After several tries Paul and his handlers finally got a bout against a legitimate boxer in Tommy Fury, who entered the bout with a perfect 8-0 record. Paul scored a knockdown of the English boxer, but was outpunched by a 2-1 margin with a much lower percentage of punches landed. This was a good indication that Paul needed some work but also a good starting point since he went toe-to-toe with an accomplished fighter and even had one judge on his side.
With his next two fights against a bare knuckler and a former champ who hasn’t fought in 20 years it would appear as though Paul’s career is regressing. Don’t tell that to Jake, though. “I’m not slowing down the train for anybody. People need to stop doubting me and know I take this sport more seriously than 99 percent of pro boxers. I’m obsessed with this.”
Following his loss to Fury, Paul won a unanimous decision over former UFC fighter Nate Diaz and most recently scored first-round KOs over journeymen boxers Andre August last December and Ryan Bourland in March.
Not wanting to waste a training session and to also get some work since he spent a total of about five minutes in the ring his two fights, Paul kept the date available slotting Perry in for Tyson. He didn’t have much success as a MMA fighter losing more fights then he won during his last six years in the UFC promotion. Transitioning to bare knuckle fighting sparked a resurgence in his career, though.
With wins over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez, Perry moved up the ranks to become the promotions biggest star. Most recently Perry KOd BKFC former middleweight champ Thiago Alves in the first round of their bout in April.
Bet Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul
You might think a fighter with Perry’s skill set would offer a different look to Paul. That’s not the case, though, since Jake has seen it all in his brief career. He’s handled combat fighters relatively easily with most having better records in the UFC. Perry’s niche is in the bare knuckle promotion and this ain’t it. Besides, I tend to believe Paul when he says how committed he is to becoming a champ. That drive and motivation on top of a burgeoning set of skills makes Paul a legitimate force in the ring.
Boxing Odds Pick: Jake Paul / Decision
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