Count former UFC champion Michael Bisping among those not impressed by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul’s latest triumph inside the ring.
Paul’s trend of fighting and defeating mixed martial arts veterans continued this past weekend at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, which played host to “The Problem Child’s” 11th professional fight.
The ex-Disney star has notably built a record by beating prominent MMA names crossing over to the squared circle, such as Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz. And former UFC fighter-turned-BKFC star Mike Perry has now joined his list of victims.
Paul got the better of “Platinum” in the sixth round of their bout on Saturday, following earlier knockdowns with one final damaging blow to seal the deal against Perry, who stepped in on short notice following the postponement of Paul’s match with Mike Tyson.
But despite previously speaking highly of Perry’s chances, one former UFC champ has laid into Paul for the match…
Bisping: Paul vs. Perry Should Never Have Happened
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Bisping gave his take on the latest boxing success for Paul, whom “The Count” has gone back and forth with himself over a possible bout in the past.
Interestingly, Bisping’s pre-fight remarks saw him actually warn Paul against the fight, branding Perry a “savage” who has “good technique.” The Englishman suggested the 27-year-old Cleveland native was “rolling the dice” by fighting “Platinum” and would not have an easy night.
But despite proving Bisping wrong, Paul isn’t getting any praise from the ex-UFC champ.
“Coming into this fight, I think myself, the whole fight community, everyone was behind Mike Perry. But the reality was he was too small,” Bisping said. “There are weight classes in boxing, in combat sports, for a reason. Jake Paul was about twice the size of him. The weight difference is going to be insane.
“Well done Jake Paul if that’s what you want to see. That was a farce,” Bisping continued. “That was ridiculous. That fight should have never even taken place in the first place because it was a sh*t show. Jake Paul was by far the bigger guy, and as I’ve said, there are weight classes for a reason. … He (Paul) cherry picks these opponents that are way smaller and less experienced.”
Paul will be no stranger to that kind of criticism, with his detractors using choice of opponents as the main tool by which to take away from his boxing career thus far.
And that trend will no doubt continue as he looks to ride the momentum from the knockout win over Perry into a planned Netflix showdown with 58-year-old Tyson at AT&T Stadium this November.
