MIKE PERRY is pushing the limits of cruiserweight boxing to fight Jake Paul.
Perry previously campaigned in the UFC’s 170-pound welterweight division before moving up to 185 pounds as a bare-knuckle boxer.
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But before his boxing match with Paul, he is at his heaviest weight ever, 200 pounds, eating meals and protein shakes.
“I’ve gained about 10 pounds of muscle and now I’m really filling out, maybe about 10 pounds of muscle,” Perry told SunSport while flexing.
“In the first few weeks I gained 5 kilos. I made sure to wake up in the morning, I would have to get some eggs and carbs.
“I was definitely able to eat a lot more carbs this time. I need to eat more pasta for dinner, more spaghetti, chicken, steak, rice.
“I eat kind of clean anyway and just had to force food even though I wasn’t hungry.
“After training I would drink a protein shake and also have lunch and drink a lot of juice, a lot of hydration, extra water.
“I’m just trying to stay as big as I can because I live in Florida. It’s hot. I like training in the middle of the day.”
Perry had the relief of skipping a usually grueling fight week weight cut ahead of the DAZN PPV fight on Saturday.
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“All my life, I’ve always cut weight and even dropped a little to 185, but in this fight at 199, I’m trying to get as strong as I can,” he said.
“Probably 197 pounds is where I’ll be. I’ll probably enter the ring around 197/196 because I could lose some weight for no reason.
“I’m just getting stronger and I have a lot with me where I can stay on an empty stomach and perform great.
“I can be quite relaxed on an empty stomach. I tried to fit the food in and I definitely added a little size.
“People were telling me today in the gym and I definitely feel that when I get my boxing technique right.
“I definitely feel a little more pressure on my power and my size and I’m really fast and in great shape and handling the weight well.”
Perry, 32, and Paul, 27, have been feuding since they went five rounds in Miami in 2021.
This was just weeks before Paul knocked out former UFC star Ben Askren, 39, who became the first of four MMA fighters he defeated in the ring.
Perry – who left the UFC in 2021 to sign for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – becomes the latest MMA veteran to fight Paul.
He was inundated with messages of encouragement and promised to repay his supporters with a walkout before the scheduled eighth and final round.
“My prediction for the fight, I think I’m going to go in there, I’m going to show my skills,” Perry said.
“I’m probably going to hit Jake hard throughout the fight at the beginning, second round, third round, fourth round.
“And then I’m thinking I can stop him in the seventh. I’m trying to stop him, I’m trying to hit him hard with significant strikes and stop him before the end of the fight.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
