Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul have been firing shots at each other for a long time. Paul has been asking to fight the former UFC champion, but the latter has been dismissive about the potential clash.
The feud reignited when Paul suffered a brutal knockout at the hands of Anthony Joshua. He spoke about his long-term ambitions and stated that his focus remains on becoming a world champion at cruiserweight.
However, he named Ngannou as a potential exception for a heavyweight fight.
“Yeah, it’s a good question… I think that is still to make the path to world champion and to fight people at my weight class,” Paul said in an interview with Chris Mannix. “The one outlier is Francis Ngannou.”
The comments gained attention, especially after both fighters shared the ring with Joshua in separate bouts. While Paul pointed to his longer time in the fight as a sign of progress, Ngannou dismissed the comparison entirely.
Ngannou rejects comparison and issues warning to Paul
Ngannou dismissed the comparison and emphasised that he does not take Paul’s claims seriously, pointing out the gap in experience and level of competition.
“I just want to give him some slaps,” Ngannou said. “He’s talking a lot of crap.”
He also referenced Paul’s knockout loss to Joshua, suggesting that the American should have learned from that experience.
“I thought after his first heavyweight fight… he would have understood, but he’s persistent.”
The former UFC champion appeared unimpressed with the continued talk of a potential matchup and brushed off the narrative built around their performances.
Ngannou Open to fight Paul despite lack of interest
However, Ngannou, who has been dismissive about a potential clash with Paul, has now shared a different view.
In his recent interview on Sky Sports, he did not completely rule out a fight. Instead, he admitted that it could happen at some point.
“I wasn’t so excited, I wasn’t looking into that,” Ngannou said. “But I think at some point I need to handle him.”
He added a confident assessment of how the fight would play out.
“I think I can give him some… kick his a**.”
His comments suggest that while the fight is not a priority, he would be willing to step into the ring if the opportunity presents itself.
Interestingly, Ngannou also showed respect for Paul when asked directly about him as a boxer.
“Of course,” Ngannou said. “I’ve been watching his career closely from the beginning.”
He acknowledged the skepticism Paul faced early in his boxing career and credited him for proving doubters wrong.
“In the beginning nobody believed in him and then I think he proved everybody that he was serious.”
That balanced view highlights Ngannou’s stance. He respects Paul’s journey but does not see him as a serious threat at his level.
‘The Predator’ is set to face Philipe Lins on May 16 under Paul’s Most Valuable Promotion that will be streamed on Netflix, making the streaming platform the first major MMA event.
Meanwhile, Paul will remain inactive after undergoing jaw surgery, and it’s expected to come back in 2027.
