Ngannou or MMA? Paul targets boxing return this yearImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jake Paul has won 12 of his 14 fights as a professional boxerByPaul BattisonBBC Sport JournalistPublished10 minutes agoJake 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.”
