Jake Paul is still hearing criticism about his date with Mike Tyson ahead of his fight against Mike Perry this Saturday.
Paul and Tyson were originally scheduled to fight this weekend, but the bout was postponed to November after Tyson was forced to pull out due to health scares. Now, BKFC star Perry will compete in the main event boxing showdown in Tampa.
With fans and media still critical of a fight with Tyson, Paul is letting people know that the 58-year-old is capable of making his own decisions and will command a huge payday.
“The way I see it is say that to Mike Tyson's face and see what he'll do to you,” Paul said. The Pat McAfee Show“One of the reporters who was discrediting him nearly jumped over the press table and knocked the guy across the buttocks.
“We are not Mike Tyson's fathers. We cannot control Mike Tyson. He is his own boss. If he goes out and makes tens of millions of dollars and wants to finish my fight, there is nothing we can do to stop him. This guy has been doing this his whole life, he is a born killer and this is what he loves to do and maybe what he needs. So, yes, age matters and Tyson has the experience, but I have youth and I have the speed so maybe I can beat him.”
Perry has enjoyed great success since leaving the UFC, becoming the face of bare-knuckle boxing and a bona fide combat sports draw, and many believe his style, durability and punching power could help show Paul a new side to him, as well as his ability to overcome adversity in a bloody fight.
Paul agrees that it could happen, which is a big reason why fighting Perry seemed like the perfect opportunity for a few reasons.
“When Mike Tyson withdrew, I was thinking about who I could fight to keep the July 20 fight alive,” Paul said. “Amanda Serrano, Ashton H20 Silve and all the fighters on the undercard were all fighters I wanted to keep the event alive. [for them]Immediately, Mike Perry's name was the first to come to mind.
“I thought, 'Oh man, he's great. He's like Mike.' [Tyson] Appetizer.' [Perry’s] Violent, forward, scary, don't care… but he doesn't care. I want the same attitude as him and it's a good warm-up for Mike Tyson. To be honest, I was nervous for the Mike Tyson fight because of how scary he is and how experienced he is. So the more experience the better.
“This will be a showcase for the great science of boxing. He may throw some big punches, he may go wild and do some crazy things, but as the rounds go by, I'm going to slowly pick him apart with my footwork, my jabs and body attacks and show him different parts of himself that no other BKFC or MMA fighter has shown before.”
