Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury: Official back-up opponent revealed

After two years of beef, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally settle their differences once and for all. But should the Mancunian fail to make it to the ring, a fan favourite will step up to take his place.

On Saturday night, before Artur Beterbiev and Anthony Yarde faced off in one of the best fights in a long time, a YouTuber and a reality TV star stepped into the ring to formally announce their bout for February 26 at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia.

And while the match-up lacks the quality of the usual standard of a main event, there’s no denying that it’s caught the public’s imagination. While Paul started off as a bit of a joke, an explosive victory over Tyron Woodley and a decision over Anderson Silva have proven that he actually has a reasonable level of skill.

Thus with Fury not taking his career seriously, the pendulum has evened with the purists split over who will win. Despite the Brit’s far superior fundamentals, he leaves himself open to the right hand, which just so happens to be the American’s money shot.

But unfortunately, fans can’t get too excited yet as Fury has pulled out of their last two scheduled meetings. And to ensure the card goes ahead, ‘The Problem Child’ has secured the services of one of an MMA veteran.

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Mike Perry is the back-up fighter for Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury

After clashing with Paul on Twitter, former UFC star, Mike Perry, would love to get his hands on the social media icon. And unsurprisingly, the content creator is happy to oblige.

At the press conference, the ex-Disney star confirmed: “We have Mike Perry on standby. Let’s go, Mike Perry. He’s ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out.”

Renowned for his charismatic personality, the MMA vet is one of the biggest names in combat sports. Having cut ties with the UFC in 2021, the seasoned operator transitioned into the world of bare-knuckle boxing, where he’s compiled a 2-0 record.

In his last outing, he produced a monumental upset victory over ex-kickboxing world champion, Michael ‘Venom’ Page. So, although we’ll be disappointed if the headline attraction falls through, at least we have a worthy replacement.

Featured Image Credit: BT Sport