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Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry odds, prediction, start time: July 20 fight card picks, bets by proven boxing expert
By CBS Sports Staff,
6 hours ago
Polarizing crossover boxing trailblazer Jake Paul returns to the ring Saturday to take on multi-sport combat fighter Mike Perry in an eight-round main event. The pay-per-view main Paul vs. Perry fight card is set for 9 p.m. ET from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The fight is a replacement of sorts for the originally scheduled bout between Paul and 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who had to withdraw because of medical issues. That matchup is tentatively rescheduled for November but, for now, Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry is among the more compelling matchups that could be made for the former social media prodigy who remains determined to make a name for himself in professional boxing. Perry is a former UFC fighter known for his brawling style and is now the biggest star in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship promotion.
Wise, who is the combat sports editor for CBS Sports, is an experienced and successful boxing analyst. His SportsLine record has been stellar over the past four years and, in March, he called the win in Round 1 for Paul (+200) against journeyman pro Ryan Bourland and also advised SportsLine members to take the Under 1.5 rounds (+120). Anyone who has followed Wise's combat sports picks has seen massive returns.
Even the most casual fans of combat sports have some familiarity with the plight of Paul, the former YouTube star and child actor who began boxing competitively to ostensibly settle beefs with fellow influencers before making the sport his full-time vocation.
Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) has shown some level of talent for the sweet science and an even better knack for marketing, as some of his early matchups against former UFC stars such as Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva drew a decent amount of interest from fans of both sports and resulted in big paydays for the mixed martial artists and Paul.
The 27-year-old has repeatedly claimed he intends to climb the boxing ladder and someday compete for a world title, but he has yet to compete against a ranked professional. His last two fights against low-level journeymen boxers Andre August and Ryan Bourland barely drew a blip of public interest. Moreover, Paul's lone defeat came against Tommy Fury, the half-brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury who, like Paul, is a former social-media influencer who is determined to make it in boxing.
Just when it appeared the crossover matches had lost their novelty appeal, the pairing against Tyson appeared to reignite the influencer boxing craze, and the matchup with Perry also provides an intriguing challenge.
Perry spent five years in the UFC and amassed a 7-8 record in 15 outings. The 32-year-old was hindered by a limited skillset but became a fan favorite because of his nonstop brawling style and eccentric personality.
Perry parted ways with the UFC in 2021 and has since become the biggest draw in the BKFC, which desperately needed star power to compete in the crowded combat space. Perry is 5-0 with wins over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez. He also won a fight in the Triad combat promotion. See who to pick here .
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