‘Don’t Be Silly’ Francis Ngannou Laughs at Jake Paul Fight Rumors

Francis Ngannou Laughs at Jake Paul Fight Rumors

Heavyweight king Francis Ngannou was picked as a potential future opponent for Jake Paul in the boxing ring. But in a recent interview, the boxer and MMA fighter Ngannou laughed off the proposition.

Francis Ngannou Laughs at Jake Paul Fight Rumors

Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou is the current PFL MMA heavyweight champion having captured the crown by way of first-round knockout., Additionally, he was the former UFC heavyweight champion who never lost this title and was highly feared for his knockout power in the cage. ‘The Predator‘ has also faced top-ranked boxing royalty such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in blockbuster matches.

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‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul was a YouTube celebrity who switched to a career in professional boxing which was boosted by his social status. Along the way, he has defeated former UFC fighters such as Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz, and Tyron Woodley.

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TOPSHOT – US retired pro-boxer Mike Tyson (L) and US YouTuber/boxer Jake Paul (R) fight during the heavyweight boxing bout at The Pavilion at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, November 15, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Most recently, Jake Paul defeated the 58-year-old boxing legend ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson in a Netflix boxing event. Tyson and Ngannou are friends and have trained alongside one another. After Tyson lost to Paul, Ngannou said he was going to slap ‘The Problem Child’ the next time he is with him.

Francis Ngannou PFL
Photo by Tim Wheaton

However, in a recent TMZ interview, Francis Ngannou finds that a potential boxing match against Jake Paul is a silly idea. He said:

Don’t Be Silly. Come on, like, respect me a little bit. [Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson] was entertaining, whether you like it or not. There was a curiosity to see Mike Tyson at this age; can he stand? Can he, can he? And they did entertain.

It seems more likely that Ngannou will next be facing former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder or step back into the smart cage with the PFL. Boxing or MMA are both on the table for the heavyweight king.

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Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira
Photo by Tim Wheaton