Francis Ngannou has expressed a willingness to face Jake Paul in the ring, just months after turning down the opportunity to fight the YouTuber-turned-boxer. The former UFC heavyweight champion had previously declined a bout with Paul, who instead fought Anthony Joshua in December and suffered a brutal knockout defeat in the sixth round.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ngannou said: 'At first, I wasn't so excited [about fighting him]. I wasn't looking into that, but I think at some point I need to handle him. I think I can kick his ass, if I might say so.' He added that he respects Paul as a boxer, having watched his career closely from the beginning.
Ngannou has not fought in the ring since his knockout loss to Joshua in March 2024, following a split decision defeat to Tyson Fury. He returned to MMA in October 2024, quickly knocking out Renan Ferreira. The 39-year-old is expected to fight Philipe Lins next weekend on a card promoted by Paul's Most Valuable Promotions.
Paul recently called out Ngannou, claiming he is a 'terrible boxer' and that a fight would be 'easy'. Responding to Paul's comments, Ngannou dismissed them, saying: 'Let's just say Jake is just being Jake. This doesn't annoy me... I know he's just being Jake.'
