Jake Paul, now a professional boxer, hasn’t lost his prankster roots. Ahead of his high-stakes bout against Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship star Mike Perry on July 20, Paul pulled off a classic prank, posing as a boxing journalist in a phone call to Perry.
During the call, the fighters exchanged heated words. Perry, unaware it was a joke, predicted the round in which he would knock Paul out.
Immediately after, Paul asked a provocative question that unleashed Perry’s wrath.
This prank perfectly exemplifies how Jake leverages his playful nature to generate anticipation for his fights.
Originally, Paul was set to fight Mike Tyson in a highly anticipated Netflix event. However, the bout was postponed to November 15 due to Tyson suffering from a serious ulcer flare-up. Stepping up in his place, Mike Perry promises to be one of Paul’s toughest opponents to date. Just days before their eight-round cruiserweight bout, Paul intensified the pre-fight tension by calling Perry while posing as a boxing journalist. He asked for a pre-fight interview, achieving his goal of both provoking Perry and extracting candid comments.
“Hey, Mike. I’m Dan Rafael from ESPN,” Paul said in the video. “Malki [Perry’s manager] gave me your number for a big story we’re doing for ESPN. I just have two questions for you. First, do you have a prediction on what round or when you’re going to stop Jake Paul?” Unaware he was being pranked, Perry confidently predicted he would stop Paul in the seventh round. “I’d say round seven, but I may take him out sooner. He thinks it’s going to be a short fight, but I’m planning on a long, entertaining night…”
Jake Paul holds a 9-1 record, with wins against former world champions like Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley (twice), as well as Ben Askren. His most recent win was against Nate Diaz last August. In contrast, Mike Perry’s traditional boxing record stands at 0-1, but he boasts a perfect 5-0 record in bare-knuckle boxing (BKFC), with significant victories over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez, both retired in two rounds.
As the fight date approaches, fans eagerly await what promises to be an intense and unpredictable showdown between Jake Paul and Mike Perry. With Paul’s knack for building hype and Perry’s confidence, this bout is set to be one of the most exciting fights in recent memory.
