Jake Paul’s boxing bonanza showcases hometown hero

Mike “Platinum” Perry, the latest non-traditional boxer set to meet Jake Paul in the ring, believes he is defending his backyard tonight at Amalie Arena.

The Orlando resident split time between Flint, Michigan and Central Florida during a troubled childhood. The undefeated bare-knuckle champion and former mixed martial arts (MMA) star will headline the “Fear No Man” promotion with Paul, the former child actor-turned-professional YouTuber who is controversially now the face of boxing.

However, the co-main event features a Tampa native, Stevie “Sledgehammer” Morgan. The Gaither High School graduate will attempt to dethrone top-ranked women’s boxing pioneer Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano.

“I was just talking to my coach about this – every fighter’s dream is to have a big fight like this in your hometown,” Morgan told the Catalyst. “That’s like the top of the mountain. So, it means a lot.”

Fans of the “sweet science” will also appreciate marque boxing returning to Tampa Bay. The area’s last big event featured Jake Paul defeating former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Tyron Woodley, in December 2021.

Morgan expects to have a large contingent in her corner. The local underdog will need that support against one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport’s history.

Morgan was a 23-year-old single mother in 2014 when she launched “Cater Me Fit,” a meal delivery service. The business grew to include over 30 employees, and the woman now known as Sledgehammer garnered local praise for her entrepreneurialism.

Stevie Morgan has knocked out her previous six opponents in the first round.

A multi-sport athlete at Gaither, Morgan began focusing on boxing full-time after the pandemic decimated her business. She turned pro in 2022 and quickly moved up the ranks with her ambidextrous power.

“My team had a plan for me from the beginning,” Morgan said. “My job was just to work hard and listen and follow the plan, and that’s what has got me into this position.”

That position is near-top billing on a stacked card that will cost fans $69 to stream on DAZN pay-per-view. Morgan (14-1, 13 KOs) has fought six times since October, winning every one via first-round knockout.

Serrano (46-21, 30 KOs) is an undisputed champ with nine world titles in seven weight classes. Morgan has compared the fight to a “real-life Rocky-Apollo Creed movie.”

While she is still relatively unknown, the sport’s various governing bodies include Morgan in their Top 10 rankings. She said a victory in front of her home crowd “will do everything for my career.”

“This is what we do it for,” Morgan added. “You want to compete against the best. There was no hesitation. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity, preparing for an opportunity like this since day one.”

She also noted the event’s local impact. Champion boxers like St. Petersburg’s Winky Wright, Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy and Tampa’s Antonio Tarver represented the region throughout the early-to-mid-2000s. “I hope I can be added to that list,” Morgan said.

She said a lack of opportunities and exposure impedes a “ton of talent” in Tampa Bay. However, Morgan believes Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the event’s organizers, can uplift the local boxing community like it has in Orlando.

A brawl erupted when Mike “Platinum” Perry and Jake “Problem Child” Paul faced off at a weigh-in ceremony Friday night.

Paul, who co-founded MVP, also has local ties. Tampa-based Venture firm Florida Funders invested in his sports betting app, Betr, for the fifth time in March.

TampaBay.Ventures, another local investment firm,  participated in Betr’s initial funding rounds. Paul was initially scheduled to face Mike Tyson in Dallas as part of a Netflix special tonight, but pivoted when the 58-year-old boxing legend postponed the fight until November due to health issues.

The controversial Paul will now face a much younger opponent who recently told the “Problem Child” he would “dig through your eyeballs and find your memories.” In a separate interview, Perry noted that “people have been waiting to see him get beat up.”

“I’ve been knocking down champions, and so has he, so we both earned this spot and limelight we’re going to be in,” Perry added. “I bring the heat when I fight, so I think it will be something everyone can enjoy.

“It’s not as brutal as bare-knuckle – there might not be as much blood. I’m going to try, though. I’m going to try to make him bleed.”

After flaming out as a mixed martial artist, Perry has resurrected his combat sports career in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). Unlike other former UFC fighters Paul has faced in the ring, Perry has always fought better on his feet and remains in his prime.

Yahoo Sports recently noted that Perry, the self-proclaimed “king of violence,” approaches fights as if his “only goal is blood on the floor – and he’s not too particular about whose it is.”

Mike Perry considers himself a “Florida boy” and the “king of violence.”

Perry (5-0, 3KOs BKFC) now considers himself a “Florida boy.” He named his son Ocean due to his affinity for the water and credited the sunshine, “Latinas” and “living free” for his permanent relocation.

“I’m just looking forward to putting on a good fight here as a local,” Perry said. “I don’t think he’s (Paul) fought someone with the power and pressure I’m going to bring.”

Perry has earned several accolades since eschewing gloves and hopes his performance Saturday night uplifts the BKFC. The event’s top fighters will likely earn over a million dollars, although Perry insists the fight is more than a payday.

“I’m looking to disrespect Jake (Paul) all night long at Amalie Arena,” he said. “I want to disrespect this kid all over the ring.”

Tickets range from around $40 to nearly $6,000. The main event begins at 9 p.m. with boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. clashing with former MMA star Uriah Hall.