Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry: Fight Odds, Live Stream, Predictions
July 20, 2024
Jake Paul already has UFC stars, YouTubers and a slam dunk champion on his resume. He'll try to add a bare-knuckle boxing star in Mike Perry to his resume on Saturday night in Tampa, Florida.
Of course, Perry isn't the "Mike" that everyone was hoping to see Paul see in the ring. This was originally the date for a highly anticipated tussle with boxing legend Mike Tyson. However, the 58-year-old was forced to postpone the match on the advice of medical experts after an ulcer flare up.
That bout is now set up for November 15.
Still, for those who enjoy tuning in to Paul's boxing career, this might be a stiffer test than he has seen recently. Perry had a middling record during his time in UFC, but he's found his niche as a bare-knuckle boxer with wins over UFC veterans Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez and Thiago Alves.
This fight will take place under traditional boxing rules with gloves, but there's some intrigue as to how Paul will handle Perry's aggression. Here's a look at all the info you need to catch the bout.
Fight Info and Odds
When: Saturday, July 20 at 9 p.m. ET (main event ringwalks approximately midnight ET)
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Tickets: Vivid Seats
Odds: Paul -425 (wager $425 to win $100); Perry +300 (wager $100 to win $300)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Preview
At this point, Paul's earned at least enough respect to be the favorite against most non-boxers. Wins over Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley weren't as impressive because they were both more grapplers in their MMA glory days, but wins over Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz proved he could beat most people who are merely trying their hand at professional boxing.
That brings us to Perry.
Perry was a stand-and-bang MMA fighter who has found that his approach to striking has generally worked in the bare-knuckle boxing arena. The problem is that there are major differences between the two sports.
For one, it's a lot easier to defend punches wearing full-size gloves. Thus, the sweet science is a bit more tactical and relies more on technique and nuance.
That's not a specialty for Perry. His aggression and willingness to stand and trade are his best assets. It's a different skillset than Paul has really seen in the ring, but it's also one that doesn't necessarily bode well for Perry.
One psychological component to consider is that Perry doesn't have much to lose here. This is a quick detour from his recent successful run in bare-knuckle boxing. A loss here isn't going to cost him much as he continues to be a star of the BKFC organization.
Paul, however, has a lot on the line here. Perry is not considered an actual boxer and he has a huge payday coming up with Tyson in November.
If Paul can't take care of business in an emphatic way here, it's a loss for The Problem Child.
Prediction
Not only is Paul the better pure boxer, but he also has a massive size advantage. That has been true in more than one of his fights and he's shown the ability to take advantage of it.
While Paul has a long ways to go if he truly wants to become a world champion-caliber boxer, he already possesses more skills than Perry. There is danger in this fight. Perry's aggression and power could cause problems if Paul isn't prepared with ways to mitigate it.
But the reality is that Paul is bigger, stronger and more skilled. That should show in the final result.
Paul via fifth-round TKO
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