Jake Paul, after defeating Mike Perry, has called out UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira for a future boxing match following his November showdown with Mike Tyson, despite the uncertainty of Pereira’s UFC contract allowing the fight.
Jake Paul has a showdown looming against Mike Tyson in November. But afterward, he’s already set his sights on a matchup against UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
The unexpected callout came after Paul dismantled and finished Mike Perry. It happened in the sixth round of their boxing match on Saturday night in Tampa, Fla.
“Alex Pereira, you said you want to box, I’m the king of this,” Paul shouted from the ring. “Come over, we can make it happen. I want you Alex Pereira.”
“I just beat a BKFC champion. I beat multiple UFC champions,” he continued. “He said he wants to box. Alex Pereira, after Mike Tyson, let’s make it happen.”
While still standing in the ring, Paul connected with Pereira over Facetime. He asked if Pereira could get out of his UFC contract to make this fantasy matchup a reality.
It’s highly doubtful the UFC would cut up Pereira’s contract just so he could fight Paul. Yet, the 27-year-old social influencer-turned-boxing enthusiast insisted that he’s serious about the matchup.
Paul explained the genesis behind the callout at his post-fight press conference. It actually started after Anthony Joshua suggested that Pereira transition from MMA into boxing in the future.
“I want everybody,” Paul said. “I love this sport.” He added that they got Pereira on Facetime right there in the ring and asked if he could get out of his contract.
“If he can get out of his contract, then let’s run it,” Paul declared. When asked that question, Pereira had to pause and looked at his manager.
“These guys aren’t their own bosses,” Paul noted. “I want all the smoke, but will Dana [White] let him out? That’s too big of a risk if I could embarrass his No. 1 most praised fighter right now.”
Pereira posted his side of the in-ring Facetime call later on social media. The sideways look toward his manager probably wasn’t about getting permission from UFC CEO; more likely it was because he doesn’t speak much English and was trying to understand what Paul said better.
Regardless, Paul doubled down on his callout as Pereira sits near the top of MMA’s pound-for-pound rankings following consecutive knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka.
“I want all the smoke,” Paul reiterated. “I want all the MMA guys and I’ve beaten all of them.”
“Who’s next?” He asked rhetorically before answering himself: “He’s the king of the UFC right now, so I want him.”
“I’m going to decapitate him and dethrone him,” Paul concluded with bravado.
In response to Paul’s Instagram post, Pereira didn’t blink at the callout. He answered with terrifying enthusiasm as usual for anyone asking for a fight against him.
“Let’s go,” Pereira said simply. “Chama.”