Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry: ‘The Problem Child’ Breaks Tradition Loathed by Fans

With the fight against Mike Tyson getting postponed under unavoidable circumstances, Jake Paul is preparing to face former UFC fighter, Mike Perry. Since Paul had declared he wanted to be a world champion in boxing and also faced two boxers back-to-back [although they are no-names] after the disappointing performance against Nate Diaz, it was shocking for many when he sealed the deal with ‘Iron’ Mike. However, with Perry, Paul is on his way to breaking tradition loathed by fans.

One of the accusations Paul has faced is that he built his boxing career over the debris of retired MMA fighters. In other words, by choosing the likes of Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva, ‘The Problem Child’ handpicked sure wins. While Paul did face Tommy Fury, a complete boxer in his prime, the YouTuber-turned-boxer soon also shared the ring with Nate Diaz, again displaying his readiness to capitalize on a worn fighter with no solid boxing background.

But Mike Perry, 32, has a different resume. Having ended his career in the UFC, the fighter joined the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship where he remains undefeated with five wins. So, it is safe to say that by taking the fight against Perry, Jake Paul is breaking his tradition of fighting selected retired MMA fighters with no sound knowledge of boxing. As a result, Luke Thomas, CBS’ combat sports analyst, praised Paul vs. Perry in a YT video as ‘Platinum’ happens to be “the youngest former MMA fighter he’s [Paul] ever fought.”

“This makes this one interesting for another reason – he’s finally fighting a guy who is not out of his physical prime. In fact, I would argue, with smack in the middle of it. So, that’s a little bit new,” Thomas added.

“Of course, he’s fought Tommy Fury [who] was aged 23 when they fought which is not physical prime, but certainly good physical condition. [But] this is like the peak of his [Perry] powers all coming together,” Thomas argued. In this context, let us also look at the kind of boxing Perry is likely to confront Paul with.

Is victory against Mike Perry certain for Jake Paul?

Against Michael Page in his BKFC debut, Mike Perry did not display impressive defense. Although Perry tried to maintain a top guard, he did not have head movements to dodge Page’s punches. Trying to close in on the distance, Perry often ran into Page’s attack. However, Perry displayed power when he wobbled Page multiple times. Meanwhile, Eddie Alvarez caught Perry several times. Against Alvarez, he was bleeding badly by the end of the first round itself.

While Alvarez was throwing more combinations, Perry swung wildly. Technically, he was a poor boxer in the fight. But since Alvarez’s corner refused to continue after the second round given his injuries, Perry won by TKO. Again, when he faced Luke Rockhold, Perry did not display the qualities of a boxer. He did not have footwork, lacked head movement, and his punches were often inaccurate. Still, one must acknowledge Perry’s endurance and stamina. However, fighting with boxing gloves is significantly different from what you see in the BKFC.

With the boxing gloves, the pace of Perry’s swings would come down. And if he does not show up with improved footwork and head movement, we can see Jake Paul winning. With that said, what do you think of Jake Paul facing Mike Perry? Let us know in the comments below.