Manager: Thiago Alves targeting summer BKFC title defense vs. fellow UFC veteran Mike Perry

Thiago Alves’ next BKFC championship bout might be against a fellow UFC veteran.

The former UFC title challenger and current BKFC middleweight champion is targeting a summer return against BKFC newcomer Mike Perry. Alves’ manager Ali Abdelaziz informed MMA Junkie on Monday.

“Thiago is ready for June to fight Mike Perry,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “It’s the biggest fight Bare Knuckle FC can make right now. It’s going to be fireworks and I think these two guys are going to put on a great fight for everybody.”

Alves is 2-0 since switching from MMA to bare-knuckle boxing in late 2020. He last fought in June when he stopped Ulysses Diaz to win the inaugural BKFC middleweight belt.

Meanwhile, Perry recently made his bare-knuckle boxing debut, defeating Julian Lane in the co-main event of “BKFC: KnuckleMania 2.”

Perry told MMA Junkie following the fight in February that he would like a challenge for the title and face Alves next.

“Absolutely, I do (want to fight for the title),” Perry told MMA Junkie following his debut win. “I just need a couple of months to heal and strengthen some things. I’ll be working within that time.”