Former UFC champion Tyron Woodley has shared crucial advice for Mike Perry as he prepares to face Jake Paul in a highly anticipated boxing match on July 20 in Tampa, Florida. Perry, a star in Bare Knuckle FC, is set to challenge Paul and potentially hand him his second career boxing defeat.
Woodley, who fought Paul twice in 2021 and experienced the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s unique fighting style firsthand, emphasized two key elements for Perry to focus on: composure and patience.
“Be composed and be patient,” Woodley advised in a recent interview with The Schmo. “He knows what it’s like to spar Jake [Paul]. He knows Jake will punch and stick and move. When he fought me, he wasn’t trying to knock me down like some of these guys, he was moving around. And I feel like that’s the part that Mike Perry has to look out for.”
Perry’s aggressive, forward-pressure style, which has brought him success against fighters like Luke Rockhold and Thiago Alves, presents a unique challenge for Paul. Woodley believes that Perry’s ability to close the distance and land powerful hooks and uppercuts will be crucial in countering Paul’s strategy.
“He kind of needs to be in hook-throwing distance, do damage so he can hit the body, uppercuts, hooks. If he’s in that long jab distance, I think he needs to learn how to close the gap. He kind of does boxing like Mike Tyson anyway, that’s his style, he mimics Mike Tyson. So I think that he’s going to give Mike [Tyson] a little bit of a cheat sheet on closing that gap as well,” Woodley explained.
Paul, riding high on a three-fight winning streak, including victories over Nate Diaz and Andre August, is looking to maintain his momentum. His last outing saw him knock out Ryan Bourland in March. In contrast, Perry hasn’t competed in professional boxing since 2015 but has made a name for himself in bare-knuckle boxing, defeating former UFC champions like Eddie Alvarez.
As the fight approaches, Perry’s ability to implement Woodley’s advice could be the determining factor in his performance against Paul. Fans are eagerly awaiting this clash, anticipating a thrilling encounter that will test both fighters’ skills and strategies in the ring.
