Jake Paul has suggested he'd be open to a rematch with Mike Perry in either mixed martial arts or boxing.
Paul was scheduled to face heavyweight legend Mike Tyson on July 20, but when Tyson withdrew, he chose active boxer Perry as his replacement opponent.
The two will initially compete in an eight-round bout under traditional boxing rules, but Perry has extensive skills in both mixed martial arts (MMA) from his time in UFC and BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship).
In a surprising admission, the “problem boy” suggested he is open to changing sports after the fight with Tyson, which has been rescheduled for November 15.
“I think a matchup with Perry in MMA or bare-knuckle would be very interesting,” he said while facing his rival on The MMA Hour.
“I agree. I would love to have a mixed martial arts fight and I think he would be a really good opponent for that.”
“I'm not even ready for a fist fight yet, but I'm up for it. What people don't know is that I'm a crazy motherfucker.”
“I love fighting, I love the sport itself, I love putting everything on the line and doing crazy stuff like punching with my bare hands.”
Getting a bare-knuckle bout could be tough considering Paul's arch rival Conor McGregor is a co-owner of BKFC.
The UFC superstar may be interested in hosting an event for Paul, given his interest in influencer boxing.
But there is clearly interest in a two-fight deal, with former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub suggesting that's just the case.
Perry has an impressive record, having won five bouts in the bare-knuckle division over current UFC star Michael Page and former UFC fighters Eddie Alvarez and Luke Rockhold.
Paul is also planning to make his MMA debut and has signed with PFL to make his debut in 2025.
So far, his year is packed with big boxing events, including a fight against Perry on July 20th and Tyson on November 15th.
And the 26-year-old promised to continue his journey in convincing fashion, with Perry the victim of a brutal KO.
He said: “The reason I'm good at martial arts is because I don't like getting hit in the face, so I train to avoid getting hit.”
“It's the sport of boxing and I'm going to teach you that, you little girl.”
“This isn't bare-knuckle fighting. This isn't just some old mixed martial artists running around punching each other with their bare hands like motherfuckers. I'm going to show you the real sport.”
“Guys, take a clip of me beating that guy, edit it, and then watch the clip of me beating that guy.”
