Jake Paul needed to strip down behind a towel in order to make a career-highest weight for his fight with Mike Perry tomorrow night.
The social media star has previously fought as low as just under 184lb, but was bulking up for a bout with Mike Tyson that was set for this weekend and postponed to November. Instead, he has opted to stay busy by facing the bare-knuckle boxing star, who used to compete at 170lb in the UFC.
Paul reportedly had to get his weight down from 230lb at his peak during camp for the Tyson fight in order to make his way down to cruiserweight. And he just about completed the task this morning in order to accurately tip the scales.
- Who is Jake Paul? Get to know the YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation after his record-breaking fight with Mike Tyson
Jake Paul needs two tries to make weight for Mike Perry fight
During this morning’s early weigh-ins, Jake Paul headed to the scales accompanied by a large entourage. The then stepped on in just a pair of black shorts emblazoned with the logo for his new personal care brand ‘W’.
He came in at an initial check weight of 200.2lb, which was misinterpreted by some as him missing weight at the first time of asking. However, when he returned to the scale without his shorts, he was declared to be 200lb even, meaning he made weight for the fight.
Paul proceeded to celebrate making weight with what has become a routine at this point; declaring that he is ‘fully dialled’ and asking media ‘you like that?’ The latter is an homage to Atlanta Falcons quarter-back Kirk Cousins.
In the meantime, the much smaller Mike Perry appeared in great spirits as he came in looking healthy at a career-highest 196.6lb. It’s almost 30lb heavier than his boxing debut in 2015 against Kenneth McNeil, and more than 12lb over his last BKFC weigh-in when he faced Thiago Alves in April.
Jake Paul made gruelling weight cut from 230lb for short-notice Mike Perry fight
After the postponement of Paul vs Tyson, the YouTuber-turned-boxer insisted that he stay busy and continue to fight on July 20 as planned. In the days following their announcement of a new November 15 date, his team at Most Valuable Promotions put together this weekend’s bout with Perry.
However, one key issue was a weight class, with the former welterweight likely only able to keep his weight as high as cruiserweight. They opted for cruiserweight, which meant that Paul had to make a relatively quick cut to the new limit.
His former coach Shane Mosley had claimed that in order to compete at heavyweight with Tyson, Paul had ballooned to around 230lb. This was later confirmed, meaning that he had to cut 30lb in order to make weight for the showdown with Perry.
Jake Paul still planning to fight Mike Tyson after Mike Perry
Should he get through tomorrow night’s bout as expected, all eyes will be on November 15 and the AT&T Stadium in Texas. Paul will face former world heavyweight champion Tyson at the massive venue, with the bout serving as the first live boxing fight on Netflix.
“A lot of people think I’m crazy for pivoting to this,” Paul told DAZN. “Why Mike Perry, why now, why take the risk, you could lose the biggest payday of your life against Mike Tyson if you lose to Mike Perry who is a violent killer, a bare-knuckle, undefeated legend over there.”
He reiterated that idea during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show this week, and defended Tyson continuing to fight deep into his 50s. “I view it as, say it to Mike Tyson’s face and see what he does to you,” Paul explained.
“The one reporter who was discrediting him, he was about to jump over the press conference table and beat the dude’s a**. We aren’t Mike Tyson’s dad. We don’t control Mike Tyson. He’s his own boss.
“If he wants to go in there and make tens of millions of dollars, and potentially end my run, then who are we to stop him? This guy has been doing this his whole entire life. He’s a natural-born killer, and this is what he loves, and maybe this is what he needs.
“So, yeah, the age is a thing, but I believe it’s the equalizer because he has more experience, but I have the youth, and the speed, maybe, to be able to put him down.”