Former UFC fighter Mike Perry waits in the wings in case Tommy Fury withdraws for a third time against Jake Paul.
This time around, Jake Paul has a backup plan.
Paul announced Saturday that UFC veteran and current BKFC fighter Mike Perry will serve as a standby fighter in case scheduled opponent Tommy Fury withdraws from their Feb. 26 matchup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“We have Mike Perry on standby,” Paul said at a press conference Saturday (via Seconds Out). “Let’s go, Mike Perry. He’s ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out.”
Perry, 31, has only competed once in traditional boxing at the professional level, a March 2015 knockout loss. However, since his UFC departure in 2021, Perry is 3-0 in bareknuckle boxing with wins over Michael Seals, Julian Lane, and Bellator star Michael “Venom” Page.
On Jan. 3, Perry shared on Twitter a bout contract with Paul’s name and promotion Most Valuable Promotions on it, but did not reveal any further details.
Wya @jakepaul pic.twitter.com/ecNSkD7lva
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) January 4, 2023
Fury, 23, is the half-brother of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. Twice, Fury (8-0) was previously scheduled to fight Paul (6-0). In late 2021, he withdrew due to medical issues. In mid-2022, Fury was denied entry into the U.S. and once again withdrew.
Paul, 26, continued to compete through the Fury match cancellations, as he picked up wins over Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
The bout vs. Fury is pegged by many to be his first true boxing test, as all of Paul’s opponents to date were former MMA fighters or celebrities with little to no boxing experience. Paul and Fury faced off Saturday for the first time during the Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde boxing event in London.
