Jake Paul secured a sixth-round TKO victory over bare-knuckle fighter Mike Perry in an eight-round cruiserweight boxing match held in Tampa. With this win, Paul maintained his upcoming showdown with the 58-year-old Mike Tyson, which was initially set for the same night. Paul, known for his transition from social media star to boxer, managed to knock down Perry three times before the referee stopped the fight at 1:12 of Round 6.
Despite being a -475 favorite, Paul revealed that he was unwell leading up to the match and had a nearly broken knuckle. Perry, aged 32, became the latest former UFC fighter to fall to Paul, who boasts victories over Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz, and Ben Askren. Paul, 27, had a noticeable size advantage over Perry, standing three inches taller. Perry, with a record of 0-2, fights at 175 pounds in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
The fight saw Paul score a flash knockdown in the opening round with a powerful right hand, controlling the action with his jab and footwork. Despite Perry's strong Round 3, where he opened a cut over Paul's eye, Paul dominated the exchanges from Round 4 onwards, eventually leading to the finishing sequence.
Perry, whose only previous boxing match resulted in a fourth-round KO loss, acknowledged Paul's speed and skill, admitting he couldn't keep up. Perry's MMA record stands at 14-8, with all his defeats occurring in the UFC.
Paul is now set to face Tyson in an eight-round heavyweight bout on Nov. 15 in Arlington, Texas. Tyson had to withdraw from their initial matchup due to health issues. This victory marked Paul's second fight of 2024, following a first-round KO earlier in the year.
In the co-feature, Amanda Serrano secured a second-round TKO victory over Stevie Morgan, setting up a rematch with Katie Taylor on Nov. 15. Serrano, a former seven-division champion, dominated Morgan, leading to the referee's intervention. The upcoming rematch with Taylor will be for the undisputed junior welterweight championship.
Serrano expressed confidence ahead of the rematch, vowing a different outcome this time. Taylor, ESPN's No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer, won their previous encounter by split decision. The rematch promises to be a significant event in women's boxing history.
