Jake Paul’s taste for the road not taken

By: Sean Crose

Give Jake Paul this – the person retains lively. After a significant July novelty bout with Mike Tyson was postponed (if not outright scratched), the social media influencer turned skilled boxer might have taken it simple. That form of factor, nonetheless, merely isn’t Paul’s fashion. As an alternative of kicking again for the summer time, Paul determined to problem himself. Therefore, the fighter referred to as “The Downside Little one” will likely be dealing with naked knuckle attraction Mike Perry on Saturday night time in Tampa, Florida. The scheduled eight rounder would be the foremost occasion of a DAZN pay per view card.

Whereas Perry has solely boxed professionally as soon as – in a bout he misplaced again in 2015 – the 32 yr outdated from Flint, Michigan has received 5 in a row since coming into the world of naked knuckle boxing in 2022. Positive sufficient, identify fighters akin to Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez have fallen sufferer to Perry inside the distance. And, though naked knuckle boxing isn’t the identical factor as fashionable skilled boxing (ironic since naked knuckle boxing morphed into fashionable skilled boxing again within the late 1800s), there are apparent similarities between the 2 sports activities – particularly, the power to punch to most impact and the power to make use of fluid footwork.

Briefly, Paul could lose to Perry this Saturday night. However that form of factor is what makes the 27 yr outdated Ohioan fascinating. Positive, Paul has punching energy and positive, he’s definitely grown ability sensible over the previous few years, but Paul’s skill to tackle severe challenges has so much to do with what has so far been a really profitable skilled run. Even when he loses – as he did to Tommy Fury a couple of years again – Paul refuses to be damaged. He could not have the expertise that the most effective boxers have, however Paul deserves credit score for taking the highway not traveled.