Jake Paul has admitted that his July 20 boxing match against Mike Perry could put his next fight against Mike Tyson at risk.
Influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul has taken the combat sports world by storm, picking up numerous victories against former UFC legends such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley.
‘The Problem Child’ was originally set to take on boxing icon Mike Tyson on Netflix, but the match was delayed to November 15 after the 58-year-old suffered an ulcer flare-up.
Instead of waiting, Paul instead decided to challenge another Mike – that being undefeated bare-knuckle fighter Mike Perry, who boasts a 5-0 record in the BKFC.
With the bout fast approaching, Paul has since admitted that he’s taking a huge risk by agreeing to take on Perry, as it could completely alter the biggest match of his life against Mike Tyson.
“A lot of people think I’m crazy for pivoting to this; why Mike Perry, why now, why take the risk, you could lose the biggest payday of your life against Mike Tyson if you lose to Mike Perry who is a violent killer, a bare-knuckle, undefeated legend over there,” Jake said in an interview with DAZN.
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“He takes punches like they’re nothing, and he’s fast, he’s athletic, he hits hard, he’s a brawler, and I can’t take that lightly.”
With so much at stake, one might wonder why Paul even agreed to the match to begin with, and he explained why.
“I need the experience, I need to stay active. I fear no man, I’m ready anytime, any place, anyone, and I truly back that up with my action,” he added, justifying the bout. “It’s not something I just say walking around. I’m just down to f**king fight and I love performing.”
Paul further reiterated how boxing has become his life and vowed to become a world champion. The Mike Perry showdown is promising to be one of his biggest tests to date, especially with the long-awaited Tyson match seemingly hanging in the balance.