Jake Paul: Mike Perry will be replacement foe if Tommy Fury pulls out

There's a plan B for Jake Paul's next fight in case Tommy Fury can't make it to the ring again.

Paul, the YouTube star-turned-prizefighter, said Saturday that former UFC fighter Mike Perry will serve as the backup opponent for his Feb. 26 boxing match against Fury.

"We have Mike Perry on standby," Paul said at a press conference, according to Seconds Out. "Let's go, Mike Perry. He's ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out."

Paul and Fury have been scheduled to square off on three separate occasions. Fury withdrew from their December 2021 bout due to medical issues and then again from their August 2022 clash after being denied entry into the United States.

Paul, who's earned wins over former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva in that time, said he's not confident the Fury bout will go down as planned.

"A part of me definitely still doubts (that Fury will make it to the fight), and it's scary, and it's annoying. ... The kid's not necessarily reliable," Paul said. "But the money is good for him. It would just be so dumb (for him to withdraw)."

Perry, a popular welterweight fighter, spent five years with the UFC from 2016-21. He most recently competed in Bare Knuckle FC, where he's 2-0 with wins over fellow UFC veteran Julian Lane and Bellator contender Michael "Venom" Page.

The long-awaited grudge match between Paul and Fury will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It's being co-promoted by Top Rank and will stream live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.