One of the most interesting fights of the summer, Jake Paul will now square off with Mike Perry in Tampa after his previous opponent, Mike Tyson, was unable to compete. Per sources, earlier in June, it was announced that Paul will face former UFC fighter and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship “King of Violence” Perry later in July due to Tyson dropping out. Of course, “The Problem Child,” was ready to rock against the former world heavyweight champion, but health restrictions tampered those plans. Now enters Perry, a bombastic fighter competing for the BKFC in the middleweight division. He is a violent opponent and perhaps the most accomplished boxing fighter Paul has faced to date with experience in pro boxing, bare-knuckle, and MMA, along with a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
In this report, SBS will be exploring what to look for from each fighter along with more notes and thoughts regarding boxing wagering and even more information.
An athlete who has been covered extensively in this space before, the social media star needs little introduction. The Ohio product is coming off two sensational knockout wins over the likes of Ryan Bourland and Andre August. In both fights he was able to notch the victory in the first round, quickly dispatching each opponent and showing that he has come a long way from his initial foray into combat sports. Moreover, his career record now stands at a respectable 9-1 with a fantastic six knockouts to date. Indeed, while Paul has made a new combat sports career out of fighting athletes from other disciplines (social media, basketball, primarily MMA), he has taken care of almost everyone he has faced and is a force in each bout he competes in.
The only time he has faltered in his career was by way of a split decision loss to Tommy Fury back in February of last year. Paul rebounded from that bout with a unanimous decision win over the tough-as-nails Nate Diaz in Dallas later that year. With millions of followers online, the social media star is one of the world’s highest-paid athletes and one of the most recognizable entertainers. As the head of “Most Valuable Promotions,” Paul is certainly one of the most entertaining stars and a must-watch attraction in the sport. This fight could be his “redemption” bout in boxing with a fighter of Perry’s caliber so this fight could hold some special weight for Paul after Tyson dropped out.
Opposing Paul is Perry who has an undefeated record in BKFC at 5-0. His last three fights have ended in TKO wins in favor of the 32-year-old. Starting in April of last year with a TKO victory over Luke Rockhold, Perry is a powerful fighter. In his BKFC career, he has three knockout wins to go along with unanimous decision victories. Moreover, in his win over Eddie Alvarez, he won the symbolic “King of Violence” championship which he has held on to since then. Moreover, in his last bout, a matchup against Thiago Alves, Perry returned to the light heavyweight division and scored a first-round TKO win (punches) over his opponent. He last competed in a professional boxing match in 2015 which was a loss to Kenneth McNeil where Perry was knocked out.
As noted above, the Flint, Michigan native is a former MMA star and had a career record of 14-8 in professional competition. This includes victories over Paul Felder (split decision), Alex Oliveira (unanimous decision), and also Mickey Gall (decision) as well. However, he did lose some steam at the end of his time in the UFC with back-to-back losses against the likes of Daniel Rodriguez and Tim Means. Additionally, he actually was 1-4 in his last five MMA contests. In his wins though he has shined with 11 knockout victories in his MMA career and only being knocked out once. Of course, he has shined in bare-knuckle fights so perhaps boxing is more of his lane and a successful path for him.
Prediction: An excellent bout to watch, take Paul to win here given his more consistent training schedule and also his overall more stout body of work in boxing. Of course, Perry could surprise his opponent with a knockout win, but he also has a little bit more wear on his body with his most recent fight occurring in April of this year.
After you are all squared away in regards to the latest boxing news and notes, make sure to of course tap into the awesome array of insights and analysis available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the sport covered here, check out our boxing betting sites rundown which goes over all the latest betting markets in the sport along with bonuses. Moreover, for those on the go, a must-read page is the best betting apps breakdown which covers the nuances of mobile betting and also some other important sportsbook criteria. Finally, for those interested in some higher stakes wagering, look no further than the VIP sports betting sites guide which goes over all the perks of VIP betting and if it also might make sense for you down the road.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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