Ngannou or MMA? Paul targets boxing return this year

Jake Paul has won 12 of his 14 fights as a professional boxer

• Published10 minutes ago

Jake Paul is targeting a return to boxing at cruiserweight before the end of the year but has not ruled out a heavyweight fight against Francis Ngannou, his business partner says.

American Paul, who first came to the public's notice as an internet personality, has not fought since breaking his jaw after being knocked out in the sixth round by British heavyweight Anthony Joshua in December.

The loss resulted in the 29-year-old dropping out of the WBA's cruiserweight rankings, but Paul is eyeing a return to the weight class, according to his partner at Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Nakisa Bidarian.

"I think his focus is on cruiserweight, outside of a potential boxing match against Francis Ngannou," Bidarian told BBC Sport.

"His goal is to return before year-end."

Cameroon's Ngannou is set to fight Brazil's Philipe Lins on the undercard of Ronda Rousey's mixed martial arts comeback fight against Gina Carano on 16 May - an event which is promoted by MVP.

Paul has targeted former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou because of the 39-year-old's boxing resume, which includes defeats against Tyson Fury in 2023 and Joshua in 2024.

At a news conference to promote the card in Los Angeles in March, Paul goaded Ngannou by saying he ran away from him "like a duck".

Ngannou responded with: "I really didn't want to fight you, but now I want to beat you."

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Will Paul fight Diaz in MMA?

Paul beat Nate Diaz in their boxing match on points in 2023

Paul had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed during surgery after the Joshua bout where he suffered the second defeat of his career.

Bidarian says Paul has recently returned to the gym.

"I saw pictures of him back in the gym with his boxing coach yesterday. So take that for what you will," said Bidarian.

"I know he has a desire to be back in 2026."

Bidarian added that the winner of Nate Diaz's fight with Mike Perry on the Rousey-Carano undercard would be a "great MMA match-up" for Paul in the future.

Paul beat American former UFC star Diaz in a boxing bout in 2023, but both fighters have called for a rematch in MMA.

Paul also has a boxing victory over Perry in 2024.

"I know Jake has talked up Nate a little bit, and Nate's obviously mentioned it, but there's no guarantee that Nate's gonna beat Mike Perry," said Bidarian.

"I think the winner of that fight is a great MMA match-up for Jake Paul, if he wants to do MMA, which he's always consistently said he does.

"I think he'll need a concerted six to eight months of MMA training. He obviously has a wrestling background.

"That's what he was doing in high school. And he hasn't done much jiu-jitsu, so that will be something that will have to be quickly learned."

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