Jake Paul dominates Mike Perry with sixth-round TKO victory

Jake Paul delivered a dominant performance on Saturday night, defeating BKFC star Mike Perry at Amalie Arena. The former YouTuber and Disney Channel star secured a sixth-round TKO after a series of powerful blows sent Perry stumbling into the corner.

"He's tough as nails," Paul remarked in the ring following his victory. "I'm sorry it took so long ... I just hit too hard, but he took a lot of damage. That's a W, baby. I'm so excited."

Paul set the tone early, nearly fulfilling his promise of an early knockout. Within the first minute of the match, he landed a huge blow to Perry’s head, sending him to the ground. Although Perry quickly got back up, the knockdown gave Paul a significant early advantage.

Paul continued his assault in the second round, delivering another knockdown and opening a cut over Perry’s eye. Despite Perry's attempts to defend himself, he struggled to protect his face and even threw Paul to the mat out of frustration.

By the fourth round, Paul had Perry cornered multiple times with little resistance. Perry managed to survive the round but was clearly exhausted. When Paul unleashed a flurry of punches in the sixth round, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.

The lead-up to the fight was marked by theatrics, with Perry "attacking" a mascot and Paul mocking Perry's private school education.

Read also: Jake Paul defends Mike Tyson’s decision to fight despite age concerns

Paul entered the ring dressed as a gladiator, riding in a chariot carried by his entourage, including his older brother.

Perry, a former MMA fighter with a 14-8 record and a perfect 5-0 in the BKFC, was considered one of Paul's toughest opponents on paper. However, Paul's performance demonstrated his growing skills as a boxer.

The defeat did not sit well with Conor McGregor, a part-owner of the BKFC, who claimed to have fired Perry from the league on social media, though it remains unclear if he has the authority to do so.

Paul, who entered the night with a 9-1 record and six KOs, has faced criticism for fighting non-boxers and other YouTubers. However, his recent victories, including back-to-back KO wins, have begun to silence his critics.

Paul was originally scheduled to fight boxing legend Mike Tyson, but the bout was postponed until November due to Tyson's health issues. Despite Tyson's age and inactivity, Paul insisted the fight will happen.