As Jake Paul prepares for his upcoming bout with Mike Tyson, the YouTuber-turned-boxer is already planning his next challenge. Known for taking on MMA fighters, Paul now has his eyes on UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
Pereira, who recently secured a knockout win against Khalil Rountree Jr. in a “Fight of the Night” performance, impressed many with his powerful display. However, Paul believes he’s found weaknesses in Pereira‘s fighting style that could give him the edge in a boxing ring.
Despite Pereira‘s reputation for powerful punches-he holds the record for breaking Francis Ngannou‘s punching power-Jake Paul feels confident he could defeat him in a boxing match. During a live stream with Adin Ross on Kick, Paul shared his thoughts on Pereira’s performance against Rountree.
“1000 percent I’d beat him,” Paul admitted.
He criticized Pereira‘s slow pace and low-volume output, which he believes are vulnerabilities in a boxing context.
“Rountree actually kind of exposed that he [Pereira] doesn’t have a high-volume output, he doesn’t like body shots,” Paul explained.
He acknowledged that while Pereira is a force in MMA, boxing is an entirely different sport.
“In MMA, Pereira would rip my head off, but boxing is a completely different game,” Paul said, highlighting the difference in strategy and pace.
Paul also noted that Rountree had moments of success in the fight, managing to rock Pereira a few times but not following through. This, according to Paul, suggests that Pereira is beatable in a boxing match.
“If anything, this fight showed me, yes, Alex Pereira is great, but I know I’d beat him in a boxing match,” Paul added, expressing his desire to make the fight happen.
Will Dana White approve the fight?
While a boxing match between Jake Paul and Alex Pereira might seem far-fetched, there could be a chance it becomes a reality. Paul recently made headlines by sneaking into UFC 306, sparking rumors that he was banned from attending UFC events. UFC CEO Dana White, however, denied the ban and praised Paul for his success in boxing, despite his previous criticisms of Paul’s abilities.
“Nobody is banned from the UFC,” White clarified.
“Jake Paul knows how to market and do his thing.”
Though White acknowledged Paul’s boxing achievements, that doesn’t mean he would easily approve a fight between Paul and Pereira, one of UFC’s top stars.
Pereira has been on a dominant run, fighting four times in the past year, but after UFC 308, he mentioned needing some time off before his next bout. While Pereira has options, whether to continue in light heavyweight or move to heavyweight for a title shot, it’s unlikely he would jump into a boxing match with Paul anytime soon. Still, given Paul’s knack for unexpected matchups, fans shouldn’t rule out the possibility entirely.
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