Mike Perry ready to break Jake Paul's will, heart, spirit and face in 2024 boxing fight

On July 20, "The King of Violence" has the chance to unseat the "Problem Child" from his self-assembled throne.

MMA veteran and current bare-knuckle fighter Mike Perry has a chance to set himself up for success with a boxing win against YouTuber and disrupter Jake Paul .

Perry will enter a boxing ring for the second time when he faces Paul in Tampa's Amalie Arena, a bout that will be shown worldwide by DAZN .

The 32-year-old replaces Mike Tyson, who suffered an ulcer flare-up that forced a postponement to his fight with Paul. With a 9-1 record in the ring, Paul refused to remain inactive until his fight against Tyson in November and now faces one of the toughest competitors to enter any ring in Perry. It is a moment he has been waiting for his entire career.

“I prepare the same way as a boxer does. I put 16-ounce gloves on, headgear, jump rope, hit the heavy bag, shadow box with/without weights in my hand, run miles, do the road work, strength and conditioning, lift weights. I’ve been preparing for fights for the last 20 years of my life. It is not just another fight, this is a big opportunity for me,” Perry told The Sporting News. "I feel like I’ve had this opportunity before and let it slip. I won’t miss this opportunity.

WATCH: Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry, live on DAZN

“I don’t believe in excuses. There came a point in my life where I stopped finding excuses. I stopped trying to justify things and just took them as they came with a grain of salt. I just worked harder and harder. I’ve earned this opportunity, as well as Jake has. He’s earned this opportunity against a fighter like me. And I am a force to be reckoned with. I’m going to leave it all in the ring and knock this kid out.”

Born in Flint, Michigan, Perry used his upbringing, from being in jail for burglary to growing up in poverty, to forge a path to success in fighting. Years after his stint in prison, Perry accumulated a 14-8 MMA record with eleven wins via knockout.

"I felt like, 'I'm stronger, tougher, and badder than everyone else. Why can't I have what I want? I'm tough enough to take it, so I'm gonna go get it,'" Perry told ESPN in 2017. “I went about it the wrong way. Now, in fighting, I actually get to be the tougher guy and go take it... and it's legal.”

Perry joined the UFC in 2016 and made the most of his opportunity in the octagon. He went 7-8 with the promotion, entertaining in various fights, win or lose.

BUY: Cheapest tickets, best seats for Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry

Following his last fight for the promotion in 2021, Perry signed a significant deal with Bare Knuckle FC, where he is 5-0 with three wins via knockout. He used his skills as a brawler to win his “King of Violence,” moniker with a victory over Eddie Alvarez.

Before becoming a well-known name, he entered the boxing ring at an Island Fights 33 event in Pensacola, Florida in 2015. On a Roy Jones Jr.-led mixed fight card, Perry lost against Kenneth McNeil. He believes that fight helped him through his career and will help against Paul.

(BKFC)

“I boxed an experienced boxer (McNeil) who was 6-1 at the time. I took it on two days' notice because my friend was fighting on the card… I cut 22 pounds, missed weight by five pounds, my purse was $600, and I had to give $300 up because I missed weight,” Perry explained to The Sporting News. “The guy was very experienced, a Golden Gloves champion. He later fought for a world title (NABF middleweight title) and was one of Jones’ guys. I tried giving him a good fight, and he gave me a good lesson.

“I’m excited to have earned this opportunity again. I just went from that fight and started knocking everyone out in MMA. I did it separate from how Jake Paul did it. Jake Paul is boxing MMA fighters and only letting them have boxing. I took my boxing and went to MMA. Whether they kicked, grappled, or whatever, I knocked them out in MMA.

MORE: How much money has Jake Paul made in his career?

Paul competes against his fifth different MMA fighter in six fights (he beat Tyron Woodley twice). He is 2-1 against boxers and now faces a wild card in Perry. Perry is ready to prove how hard he can hit with “pillows” on his hands, especially if this is his only chance at Paul. He believes Paul wouldn’t fight him in a bare-knuckle ring.

If Perry beats Paul, he will be the disrupter. The Tyson fight is in AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Perry would be honored to fight Tyson, an inspiration. Paul losing would result in ridicule from those who already doubted him. Given Perry’s experience, landing 4.32 significant strikes per minute in the octagon, it shouldn’t be considered impossible.

Paul is known to get under the skin of his opponent. Perry already comes into fights prepared for a war. It was proven during a press conference on The MMA Hour that there is tension between the two. However, both men understand the fight game. Perry will respect Paul if the fight happens. After that? All bets are off.

“If he gets in the ring with me on July 20, I’m going to give him respect, and I’m going to give him the fight that he thinks he wants, the fight that the fans deserve, what the world wants to see,” Perry said. “That’s the only way I fight. I f****** bring it, dude. That’s what I do. I’ll bring it to you, and I’ll do my absolute best to punch you as hard as I can, take every shot that you got, and break you down. I’ll break your will, heart, spirit, and break your face.”