Francis Ngannou has performed a dramatic U-turn on his stance regarding a potential fight with Jake Paul, expressing openness to the matchup just months after rejecting it. The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to return to action next weekend against Philipe Lins, but he appears to have one eye on the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
Background to the Feud
After defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June, Paul was eager to stay active and agreed to a controversial exhibition showdown against lightweight king Gervonta Davis. The bout was scheduled for November but was scrapped after Davis faced allegations of battery, false imprisonment, and kidnapping from an ex-girlfriend. Paul then reserved an extra date in Miami to secure another fight in 2025, issuing callouts to several boxing stars, including Terence Crawford and Ngannou. However, Ngannou initially declined the opportunity to face the young American.
Instead, Paul went on to fight Anthony Joshua in December, suffering a brutal sixth-round knockout defeat. Now, just months after rejecting the boxing novice, Ngannou has had a change of heart.
Ngannou's Change of Heart
“At first, I wasn't so excited [about fighting him],” Ngannou told Sky Sports. “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: “Of course [I respect him as a boxer]. I have been watching his career so closely from the beginning, because in the beginning nobody believed in him. And then I think he proved to everybody that he was serious.”
Ngannou has not fought in the ring since being knocked out by Joshua in March 2024, a few months after a split decision defeat to Tyson Fury. He returned to the MMA cage in October 2024, needing just minutes to render Renan Ferreira unconscious. The 39-year-old is expected to return to the cage next weekend against Philipe Lins in the co-main event of Ronda Rousey's comeback fight on Netflix, a show promoted by Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions outfit.
Paul's Provocation
Ahead of the showcase, Paul reignited his feud with Ngannou by calling him out. “I mean, I'm definitely going to keep on fighting,” Paul told Sky Sports. “We'll see how the jaw heals up. I would say, there's a long list of opponents. I think most recently, Francis Ngannou was talking a lot of smack. I think that's an easy fight for me. I think he's a terrible boxer. I'd maybe want to go back up to heavyweight and knock him out, like Joshua did, and render him unconscious. He knows I lasted longer than him against Joshua, and didn't get put out. So I think maybe he wouldn't do the fight, because deep down he wouldn't want to get embarrassed.”
Ngannou was coy when asked about Paul's comments, dismissing his promoter. “Let's just say Jake is just being Jake,” he told Ariel Helwani. “I don't know what to say about it, he has always been like that. This doesn't annoy me but what annoyed me was mostly back in November but I know he's just being Jake. He kept being pushy and saying all those things; it's the same thing he's saying now but I'm used to it now.”
