YouTube boxing sensation Jake Paul is set to face off with undefeated bare knuckles fighter Mike Perry, who fights in the BKFC, in which Conor McGregor co-owns.
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When asked about the upcoming fight, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion called Paul a "little dweeb," while citing that everyone is rooting for Perry.
Conor McGregor throwing shots at Jake Paul 😭😭
“Now [Mike Perry] is up against a little dweeb of a thing in a fight this weekend that we’re all rooting for him.”
🎥 @bareknucklefc #UFC #MMA #Boxing pic.twitter.com/huM0vGr92U
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 18, 2024
McGregor and Paul had a little bit of a back-and-forth during the press conference, as the former YouTuber took shots at the BFKC, saying he will embarrass them, while simultaneously calling the fighters "brawler, idiot, street fighter dudes."
Paul then referenced that McGregor has been dodging him, as ever since 2020 he had called out the UFC star challenging him to step into the ring.
At the press conference Paul reiterated this.
"Conor McGregor can say what he wants but he won't fight me either," Paul said. "So, once I knock out Mike Perry, Conor McGregor, let's run it, but you won't do it because you know what's gonna happen."
Then the Ohio native told the Irishman that he needs to get off the drugs and get back to training so they can set up a fight down the line.
Jake Paul responds to Conor McGregor’s comments calling him a ‘dweeb’ during yesterday’s Bare Knuckle Fighting press conference.
“Lay off the cocaine, get in the gym, and start winning fights and then maybe we can have a conversation.” #PaulPerry (via @UFCKnockout) pic.twitter.com/29Vquwgs40
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) July 18, 2024
"You know what I did to Nate Diaz, who you went toe-to-toe with. So Conor McGregor, lay off the cocaine, get in the gym, and start winning fights and then maybe we can have a conversation."
Paul currently has a 9-1 professional boxing record (six knockouts), and while he was originally set to face off with Mike Tyson on the scheduled July 20 date, after a health scare that fight has been postponed to November 15.
We got a new date for the Jake Paul vs Tyson fight, will this fight actually happen? 😭 pic.twitter.com/OGIZ3gZU20
— The Canadian Dream 🇨🇦 (@CanadianDreamO) June 7, 2024
That is to say, Paul is now going up against Perry, who has a 5-0 record in the Bare Knuckles Fighting Championship league.
This fight will take place in Tampa, Florida on Saturday at Amalie Arena.
Jake Paul vs Mike Perry long, intense faceoff #PaulPerry pic.twitter.com/uVQb7yg48E
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) July 18, 2024
Paul is the current favorite to win at -360 odds, while Perry is at +280 odds, while the over/under for total rounds is 7.5.
When looking at Perry's background, the 32-year-old specialized in mixed martial arts and made his UFC debut in 2016. He compiled a 14-8 record before pivoting to a slightly new career and signing with the BKFC in 2021, he has built a name for himself, as he has been dubbed, "the King of Violence."
Although Jake Paul's boxing resume looks quite impressive at first glance, the 27-year-old seemingly has mostly fought former UFC stars who were undersized and either retired or almost retired, such as Ben Askren, who was 36 coming off of a hip replacement. To point out, the next matchups included big names such as Tyron Woodley, 39 at the time, and Nate Diaz, 38, then notably former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva was 47 years old when he fought Paul.
Perry, 32 years old, who agreed to be the replacement fighter on a month's notice, says he is at the peak of his career compared to Paul's former opponents.
"I'm just now reaching my prime," Perry said. "I'm just now getting to where I've been doing my best. I learned through the UFC, which was a tough place to learn. Since learning, now I'm having the success brawling these people."
Related: Jake Paul Vs. Mike Tyson Postponed, New Opponent Officially Announced For July 20th
