Following Open Workout that kicked off Fight Week, Jake Paul and Mike Perry previewed their boxing match and went face to face at the press conference. Cleveland’s YouTuber turned pro boxer takes on Orlando’s former UFC fighter turned bare knuckle boxer live on PPV from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on July 20.
Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) previously defeated a handful of former UFC fighters, including Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley twice. The 27-year-old says he is confident in his victory over Perry and happy to face him inside the MMA cage.
“He had a boxing match in a triangle that I gained a lot of knowledge from,” Jake Paul said. “Lot of openings. It’s gonna be a short night.”
“The skills is what pay the bills. And he has no footwork, no head movement, no defense. He’s a great offensive fighter and bare knuckle, but in terms of boxing, he’s going to get picked apart very quickly, and it’s going to be a short night. Like I said, my predictions are never wrong, so I stand on business every single time I manifested into reality. I Jake Joseph Paul will knock out Mike Perry in less than two rounds. It’s going to happen, put money on it.”
Paul was originally set to face Mike Tyson on July 20 in Arlington, Texas. The contest was postponed and then rescheduled to November 15, and the fight against Perry came to light.
“[I wanted] to stay getting experience under the bright lights on my world, on my path to world championship,” Paul said. And that’s what matters, is getting the experience under the bright lights. And this is a Mike appetizer. Mike warm up, but they’re both killers at the end of the day, and I do have to be sharp. He does have one punch knockout power that I do have to respect. But other than that, it’s going to be easy.”
“This is what I do. I’m here to fight. I love to take risks and do big events. Mike Tyson called and was concerned about this fight jeopardizing the biggest fight of my career. That’s what puts the pressure on me, and I love that. I’m not slowing down for anybody. Mike Perry is not going to be the one to stop me. I’m on a path to world championship. I’m not slowing down for anybody.”
“He’s unorthodox. That’s about it. So the first 30 seconds to a minute, just find my timing in range. That’s then the fight’s over. That’s really about it.”
“He has a crazy fan base. And anytime I would post an Instagram picture over the last like 18 months, one of the top comments would always be fight Mike Perry. Fight. Mike Perry, you’re scared of Mike Perry, and so I love to prove people wrong and take the fights that no one thinks I’m going to take.”
“Yes, let’s go after this,” Paul commented on whether he would fight Mike Perry in MMA. “After I knock him out on Saturday, let’s sign the contract for some MMA. I’ll choke you out too.”
Jake Paul also had a message to former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor.
“Well, first of all, he’s big up in BKFC, but you’re going to see what I’m going to do to their best fighter on Saturday night,” Paul said. “I’m going to embarrass their entire league. This guy has no skill; those are just brawler idiot street fighter dudes who have no idea what the sweet science is.”
“Conor McGregor can say what he wants, but he won’t fight me either. Once I knock out Mike Perry, Conor McGregor, let’s run it. But you won’t do it because you know what’s going to happen. You saw what I did to Nate Diaz, who you went toe-to-toe with. Conor McGregor, lay off the cocaine, get in the gym, and start winning fights. Then maybe we could have a conversation.”
‘You are going to get what you’ve been asking for’
Mike Perry (0-1 boxing, 14-8 MMA, 5-0 BKFC) looks to put a halt to Paul’s fairly successful journey inside the boxing ring. The 32-year-old says he is a “real fighter” and promise to give Paul “hell”.
“I’m doing it for everybody, for me, for the fans, for BKFC, for MMA, you know, just mainly for me, because I believe in myself and my boxing ability,” Mike Perry said. “I’m a brawling boxing mug, so I’m ready to get in the ring with Jake and have some fun.”
“I’ve been winning since then. There’s all I know. I’ve been victorious. I’ve been succeeding consistently, and I’ve been getting better every single day. Put this little twerp in his place. He’s new to this game. Welcome. Welcome. You just got here.”
“Don’t worry, you’re going to get what you’ve been asking for, the fight to go longer than one round. Imma give you hell in the first round, and you’ll get tired. You’re going to be grasping for air. I made a new word, grasping.”
“This is my chance to show the world what a real fighter can do in boxing. Those other [MMA] guys [who fought Paul] were long past their prime.”
In the co-feature to Paul vs Perry, seven-weight world champion Amanda Serrano of Puerto Rico takes on local Stevie Morgan at super lightweight. Also on the card a pair of lightweight bouts featuring Ashton Sylve of Long Beach, California up against Lucas Bahdi of Canada and Jacksonville’s Tony Aguilar versus Corey Marksman of Orlando. In addition, Shadasia Green of Paterson, New Jersey and Natasha Spence of Canada clash at super middleweight.