Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul appear to be heading toward a potential showdown after a heated exchange during a recent press conference.
The tension between the two fighters resurfaced as Ngannou prepares for his return to mixed martial arts. The former UFC heavyweight champion will compete on May 16 in the co-main event of a card promoted by Most Valuable Promotions and streamed on Netflix.
The event will be headlined by a high-profile bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, while Ngannou faces Brazilian heavyweight Philipe Lins.
During Tuesday’s kickoff press conference, Ngannou made it clear that his interest in Jake Paul goes far beyond simply sharing a ring.
“No, I’m not interested in fighting Jake Paul,” Ngannou said when asked about a potential matchup.
“I’m interested in beating his ass. Not fighting him.”
The comment immediately drew a response from Paul, who also attended the event as a promoter.
“I’m down. I’ve always been down,” Paul replied. “You were the option before Anthony Joshua, and you ran like a duck. And I bet you didn’t think I would last longer than you did with Anthony, either. So you just know that you get worked in boxing. And I would love to see it someday.”
Paul did last longer than Ngannou in the boxing ring against Anthony Joshua. Paul survived until the sixth round before suffering a knockout loss, while Ngannou was stopped in the second round of his bout with the former heavyweight champion.
However, Ngannou insisted that the potential fight with Paul has nothing to do with those results.
Instead, he said Paul’s behavior over the past year has given him a new reason to pursue the matchup.
“You were just being a small boy, not understanding, being a little disrespectful, and that’s why I want to kick your ass now,” Ngannou said.“I really didn’t want to fight you, but now I want to beat you. There’s a difference.”
Paul welcomed the challenge.“Let’s do it,” he responded.
Despite the growing rivalry, Ngannou remains focused on his upcoming return to MMA. The fight against Lins will mark Ngannou’s first appearance in the cage since he knocked out former PFL champion Renan Ferreira in October 2024.
Ngannou and Paul previously maintained a friendly relationship during their involvement with the Professional Fighters League. However, that dynamic has changed quickly in recent months as both fighters moved in different directions.
Paul currently holds a 12–2 professional boxing record, with wins over fighters such as Mike Perry, Mike Tyson, and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr..
Ngannou, meanwhile, is still searching for his first victory in boxing and holds an 0–2 record after losses to Joshua and Tyson Fury.
For now, Ngannou’s immediate focus remains on defeating Lins on May 16. But if the war of words with Jake Paul continues to escalate, a future clash between the two could become one of the most talked-about matchups in combat sports.
