Mike Perry, who has served as a backup fighter for matchups involving Jake Paul and Logan Paul, is eager to compete and is scheduled to fight Eddie Alvarez in a bare-knuckle boxing bout at BKFC 56.
Mike Perry is itching for a fight. This might seem like a no-brainer, given his upcoming bare-knuckle boxing bout against Eddie Alvarez at BKFC 56 this Saturday. However, Perry’s interest extends beyond this match to a boxing career that hasn’t quite taken off yet.
In the past 11 months, Perry has been the backup fighter for two matches featuring Jake Paul and Logan Paul. His name was frequently dropped during the promotion of these events. Yet, he never got a chance to step into the ring.
This experience has left Perry hesitant to accept another backup role. He’s tired of hearing his name used by others without getting a chance to throw a punch. “Guys want a little bit of credibility and they use my name to try get it,” Perry told MMA Fighting. “But you don’t get that credibility unless you’re in the ring with me.”
Perry is clear about his identity. He’s not a great speaker, but a “damn scrapper.” His fans, the committed ones, understand the difference when he steps into the ring. It’s not about the trash talk or media interviews for Perry. He wants the fights.
Perry’s most recent backup role was for the fight between Logan Paul and Dillon Danis in England. It made sense to have a backup, especially after Danis pulled out of a previous match against KSI. Perry was present at the press conference and spent the fight week ready to compete.
However, despite being paid for his backup role, Perry questions if it was worth it. “All the hoops I jumped through preparing for that fight and dealing with the organization and the media… I started realizing this little check is f****** pointless,” Perry said. He felt ignored, with no camera time or attention. He was there because he was offered a good enough check.
Perry is tired of his name being used as a potential opponent without getting a chance to fight. “If there’s a good chance that someone’s not coming, and I get the full fight and the full paycheck for the fight and get me some damn respect throughout the week… really I just want to fight,” Perry said.
He believes he deserves to have his name on the poster and everything that comes with it. Although he didn’t get to fight the Paul brothers, Perry is ready for his return to the bare-knuckle ring on Saturday. He’s finally got an opponent who’s ready to throw down with him.
“This is the real fight,” Perry said. “It’s the King of Violence title against a great name who’s fought everyone, everywhere for the last 20 years. I can’t let the old man beat me… Age and experience, [Alvarez] does have the age and experience, but I have the bare-knuckle experience. It’s a good little tossup.”