Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry predictions: Picking the winners for the fights
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry predictions are picking up steam as the fight date edges ever closer. Both men are scheduled to clash this Saturday, July 20, with egos and legacies on the line.
'The Problem Child' aims to secure a fight with Mike Tyson with a win over the bare-knuckle boxing star. Meanwhile, 'Platinum' is determined to prove himself as a more fearsome warrior than Paul, who will not fall to him in the squared circle of boxing as other MMA fighters have.
Elsewhere on the card, the great Amanda Serrano takes on women's super lightweight prospect Stevie Morgan.
Other notable fights include Julio César Chávez Jr. crossing swords with ex-MMA striking dynamo Uriah Hall at cruiserweight. With plenty of fights to look forward to, predictions for the winners are due.
#1. Cruiserweight: Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry
At this point, there is no doubting Jake Paul's competence as a boxer. He operates behind a jab, using it to measure distance and set his range. The principle behind it is simple: if he can hit his opponent with his jab, he can land his patented overhand right for a potential knockout.
Furthermore, 'The Problem Child' steps in with his jab, extending his stance to put his weight behind the blow. Paul will occasionally threaten a check left hook to keep his opponent honest. His fight IQ is also an underrated aspect of his game, which was on display against Andre August, one of the few boxers he's faced.
August relied on a low stance during their bout, ducking under Paul's jab until 'The Problem Child' caught on to it and intercepted his level change with an uppercut for the knockout. This ability to make reads and real-time adjustments is important, and not something seen in all fighters.
However, he is by no means a high-level boxer. Paul's movement is entirely linear, so he is surprisingly easy to back up as he doesn't flatten out his stance to shuffle from side to side. Moreover, he doesn't cut off his foe's angles of escape and doesn't move his head off the center line, leaving himself susceptible to getting tagged.
He also crosses his feet on occasion, and steps in too deep with his jab, opening him up to counters. He makes up for these shortcomings by being shockingly powerful. Will that be enough against Perry? Probably. 'Platinum' is by no means an easy outing.
He is tough, gritty, and mean-spirited in a way that no other opponent Paul has faced has been. After all, 'Platinum' shattered the front teeth of former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. But what of his technical skills? Unfortunately, Perry is lacking in that department.
While powerful, he doesn't move his head off the center line and relies largely on pressure to swarm his foe, entering hook range without fear of repercussion. He trusts in his chin and toughness, ignoring the pain he feels from eating punches and landing his own with borderline bare fists.
Perry doesn't use his jab much at all, and willingly puts himself in range of counters because he intends to bombard his opponent with hooks and overhands. His ability to soak up damage and return it tenfold is how he TKO'd Eddie Alvarez, despite being outboxed in round one.
In a traditional boxing ring, though, many of these advantages won't be relevant. 'Platinum' will likely run himself into Paul's right hand and check-left hook, and the damage he has absorbed throughout the years may come back to haunt him.
The Prediction: Jake Paul via 7th round TKO
#2. Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry fight predictions for notable fights
Women's boxing great Amanda Serrano welcomes the up-and-coming Stevie Morgan into the ring in what is certainly a tune-up fight for the former ahead of a highly anticipated rematch with Katie Taylor. There is only one expected winner for this matchup, and it isn't close, at least on paper.
Serrano is aggressive and sits down on her punches, landing hooks and overhands with authority. However, she isn't a crushing power-puncher. Instead, she lands with enough sting to earn her opponent's respect. She will be the smaller fighter against Taylor, whose size could help keep herself off the ropes.
But the gap in experience is outrageous for this fight. Serrano has been a champion and is 46-2-1, not 8-1 like her opponent.
The Prediction: Amanda Serrano via unanimous decision
Elsewhere on the card, Julio César Chávez Jr. faces ex-UFC knockout artist Uriah Hall at cruiserweight. This isn't the first time that the former has faced a flashy MMA striker, as Chávez previously had the opportunity to fight one of MMA's all-time greats in Anderson Silva, to whom he lost.
He struggled with 'The Spider's' speed during the fight, and Chávez simply isn't the boxer he used to be. He struggles to make weight, has always had significant disciplinary issues, and appears to be grappling with mental health issues. Boxing requires serious commitment and he does not have it.
Hall, meanwhile, is fast and powerful enough to punish an undertrained Chávez in the ring, and patient enough to keep himself from running into anything. However, the UFC alumnus has struggled with pressure and jabs in the past, so if Chávez can weaponize those two aspects, he could make it competitive.
The Prediction: Uriah Hall via majority decision
#3. The rest of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry card
Picks are in bold.
Lightweight: H2O Sylve vs. Lucas Bahdi
Lightweight: Tony Aguilar vs. Corey Marksman
Women's super middleweight: Shadasia Green vs. Natasha Spence
Lightweight: Julio Solis vs. TBA
Middleweight: Alexis Chaparro vs. Kevin Hill
Super bantamweight: Angel Barrientes vs. Edwin Rodriguez
Light heavyweight: Ariel Perez vs. Dane Guerrero