Jake Paul "1000%" certain about beating Alex Pereira in boxing match, says Khalil Rountree Jr. "exposed" holes in UFC star's game
Jake Paul believes he can defeat Alex Pereira in a boxing match. Paul asserted that despite being one of the top MMA fighters, Pereira still has weaknesses in his fighting style, which were on display in his title fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.
Paul called out Pereira following his sixth-round knockout victory over former UFC fighter Mike Perry. The reigning light heavyweight champion was all in, as the two shared a video call after Paul's win.
In a recent interview with Kick streamer Adin Ross, Paul was confident in his chances of winning against Pereira when asked if he genuinely thought he could defeat the Brazilian in a boxing match. 'The Problem Child' said:
''1000 % I would beat him. That's the thing is Rountree Jr. actually kind of exposed that he doesn't have a high volume output, he doesn't like body shots and in MMA Pereira would rip my head off but boxing is a completely different sport and the pace of it and the style of it.''
Ross then emphasized Pereira's kickboxing experience and how 'Poatan' has a strong jab, to which Paul responded:
''He has holes right, I mean Rountree Jr. rocked him, hurt him a couple of times to the body but didn't follow up on it so if anything this fight showed me yes, Alex Pereira is great but I know I would beat him in a boxing match and I still would love to make that happen.''
Check out Jake Paul's comments below (11:07):
Paul is scheduled to face Mike Tyson in a boxing match on Nov. 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Meanwhile, Pereira successfully defended his title against Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.
When Dana White slammed Jake Paul for calling out Alex Pereira
Jake Paul calling out Alex Pereira didn't sit well with Dana White, who isn't a fan of crossover fights.
During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, White denied the possibility of a boxing match between the two. The UFC CEO criticized Paul for calling out MMA fighters for publicity, claiming the matchup is unlikely to be sanctioned by a commission:
"I wonder if the commission would even let that fu**ing fight happen...[Pereira] would kick [Paul's] head to another planet...[Jake] calls people out for attention. Alex is this superstar right now, so Jake calls him out and Jake gets press."
Check out Dana White's comments below (41:19):