From Texas to Florida, from AARP to BKFC.
Welcome to another Saturday night in the Jake Paul boxing spectacle.
Originally scheduled to fight the 58-year-old retired heavyweight Mike Tyson in Dallas this weekend, Jake Paul had to change plans when Tyson fell ill due to a sudden ulcer flare-up. Instead, Paul pivoted to face Mike Perry, a 32-year-old fighter who has revived his career with five consecutive wins in bare-knuckle boxing after a mixed record in MMA.
Paul and Perry will face off in the main event of a five-fight pay-per-view event at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. The B/R combat team is prepared to watch the spectacle and create a real-time list of who succeeded and who didn’t during the event.
Winner: Doing the Job(Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry)
Let’s be honest, being a boxing promoter isn’t easy.
When Amanda Serrano’s planned rematch with Katie Taylor fell through and the July event featuring Jake Paul and Mike Tyson got postponed, there was a lot of work behind the scenes.
Serrano didn’t want to stay inactive until the rescheduled Tyson fight in November, so Stevie Morgan, a tough 35-year-old boxer from Florida with a nickname “Sledgehammer” and a record of 14 wins and 1 loss (13 by knockout), stepped in. She was set to fight in her hometown of Tampa for a career-defining opportunity.
Before facing Serrano, Morgan had gained attention with six consecutive first-round wins. However, a closer look at her opponents showed they had a mixed record, with some on losing streaks. This raised questions about her readiness for a fighter of Serrano’s caliber, who has titles in weight classes ranging from 118 to 140 pounds.
In their scheduled 10-round fight without a title on the line, Serrano quickly proved her superiority over Morgan. She ended the fight just 38 seconds into the second round, showing her experience and skill.
“She’s experienced but fights like an eager newcomer,” said analyst Gabe Rosado. “There are different levels to boxing, and Serrano demonstrated that tonight.”
Winner: Making It Count
They were the middle fights of the event, featuring lightweight boxers Ashton Sylve, Lucas Bahdi, Corey Marksman, and Tony Aguilar, who were seen as up-and-coming talents compared to the more established stars on the card.
Ashton Sylve had the advantage of being promoted locally through Jake Paul’s connections but suffered a surprising knockout loss in the sixth round to Lucas Bahdi. Bahdi, a 30-year-old Canadian with an undefeated record of 16 wins, landed a powerful combination that ended the fight abruptly at 2:27 of the sixth round. Bahdi credited his coach for preparing him for a tough fight and delivering the knockout victory.
Sylve, who turned pro as a teenager and had won 11 straight fights, had previously fought on Jake Paul’s undercard events, including victories in Dallas and Phoenix.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Corey Marksman showcased his skills with an impressive eight-round decision victory over Tony Aguilar. Marksman had previously fought Aguilar twice as an amateur, including a draw five months ago. This time, Marksman was sharper and more accurate, landing more punches and earning a win on two of the judges’ scorecards, despite one judge scoring it a draw.
Marksman expressed confidence in his future career prospects, aiming for big venues like Madison Square Garden and international recognition.
Loser: Late-30’s Promises
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., at 38 years old, spoke honestly about his past mistakes and the opportunity to fight Uriah Hall motivated him to attempt a comeback in boxing.
However, despite his words, don’t expect much. The version of Chavez Jr. who defeated Hall, a 39-year-old with just one previous pro fight against a former NFL player, is a far cry from the fighter who once held a legitimate title belt and faced top names like Canelo Alvarez, Daniel Jacobs, and Sergio Martinez.
In his recent fight, Chavez Jr. weighed a heavy 197.75 pounds, the most he’s ever been for a professional bout. His slow, one-punch-at-a-time strategy during the match with Hall wouldn’t trouble elite cruiserweights, regardless of his intentions to revive his career.
Even someone new to boxing like Jake Paul probably wouldn’t be concerned about facing Chavez Jr., given the lackluster performance against Hall. Analyst Todd Grisham commented that fighters like Mike Perry would likely defeat Chavez Jr.
In short, while Chavez Jr. talks about a comeback, his recent form suggests he’s unlikely to pose a challenge to top fighters or gain much attention in the boxing world, including from influencers like Jake Paul.
Full Card Results
Here’s a simplified version of the main card results:
- Jake Paul defeated Mike Perry.
- Amanda Serrano beat Stevie Morgan by TKO at 0:38 of Round 2.
- Lucas Bahdi knocked out Ashton Sylve at 2:27 of Round 6.
- Corey Marksman won against Tony Aguilar by majority decision (76-76, 77-75, 78-74).
- Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. defeated Uriah Hall by unanimous decision (59-55, 59-55, 58-56).
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