Jake Paul insists his rescheduled blockbuster bout against Mike Tyson will go ahead in November as planned as he also called out UFC star Alex Pereira for a crossover boxing fight in future.
YouTuber-turned-pugilist Paul was originally supposed to meet heavyweight icon Tyson, 58, in a controversial, Netflix-streamed showdown at AT&T Stadium in Texas on Saturday night, only for a recent ulcer flare-up suffered by ‘Iron Mike’ during a flight resulting in the contest - as well as Amanda Serrano’s huge rematch with Katie Taylor - being rescheduled for November 15 last month.
Instead of being simply content to wait for that date, however, Paul instead took on former UFC contender and now Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) star Mike Perry at Tampa’s Amalie Arena in what some saw as an unnecessary risk that could well have jeopardised the Tyson match.
However, the so-called ‘Problem Child’ was ultimately rewarded as he sent a firm message to Tyson with a bruising three-knockdown display against a hugely durable and tough opponent that included a vicious barrage to force the referee to step in and end the fight in round six, despite complaining afterwards of not feeling well and dealing with a damaged knuckle.
Tyson’s recent health issue, age and the initial postponement has led some to question if the meeting with Paul will ever actually come to fruition, but it seems that both men are fully committed to the new date.
“Mike Tyson, you’re next big boy - sign the contract,” Paul said in the ring after beating Perry. “November 15 on Netflix, I’m excited for that one. I’m going to go home and prepare for that.”
He added on Tyson: “It's happening, November 15. Mike Tyson is training, he's back, looking crazier than ever. I'm going to get another KO and prove everyone wrong once again.
“Everyone said I was an idiot for taking this fight, that I was risking it but this is why I'm here, I take big risks.
"Mike, I love you, but this is my sport. You're a legend, you're one of the two most famous boxers ever to live, you and Muhammad Ali. It's an honour to get in the ring with you. I'm so, so honoured; you're a legend, but I'm going to take your throne, brother."
Tyson responded to Paul’s emphatic win over Perry on social media website X with a video of him watching the fight and a countdown to the November 15 date listed in days, weekends, hours, minutes and seconds, with the hashtags “#TysonPaul”, “#TheClockIsTicking” and “#JakesWake”.
Paul also surprisingly laid down a new challenge to Brazilian ‘Poatan’ Pereira, the UFC’s current light-heavyweight champion and former middleweight title-holder who recently expressed an interest in turning to boxing after being backed to do so by Anthony Joshua.
“Alex Pereira, you said you want to box, I’m the king of this,” Paul said. “Come over, we can make it happen. I want you, Alex Pereira. I just beat a BKFC champion.
“I beat multiple UFC champions and he said he wants to box. So Alex Pereira, after Mike Tyson, let’s make it happen.”
Social media footage later showed Paul and Pereira on FaceTime after the former’s win over Perry.
