Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has made it crystal clear: he'd never step into the ring with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist promptly shut down the idea, saying it was "disrespectful" to his craft.
This was after Ngannou had tweeted about slapping Paul the next time he saw him. Fan speculation was thus ignited; however, Ngannou quashed hope for a showdown by making it apparent that he did not have any interest in entertaining the fight.
Demonstration of Respect for Paul's Flamboyance
During an exclusive chat with TMZ Sports, Ngannou said something interesting about a possible Jake Paul fight.
Though Ngannou isn't interested in fighting Paul, he did credit the newbie boxer with bringing the show. Paul's recent fight against Mike Tyson on a Netflix boxing special drew 60 million households, and Ngannou gave him his props.
Next time I see this @jakepaul guy I'm gonna give him 2 or 3 slaps đŸ˜¬đŸ˜¬
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) November 16, 2024
"If this isn't entertainment, I don't know what you're looking for," Ngannou said, pointing out the ability for Paul to draw an audience.
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Deontay Wilder Fight a Possibility?
With Jake Paul a definite no-go, Ngannou hinted at an even more tantalizing matchup-former heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder.
Wilder recently said he is open to negotiating a fight with Ngannou, causing much speculation regarding the possibility of a big-name event.
However, Ngannou remains focused on his MMA career for now. As a member of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), he's waiting to see what opportunities arise.
"I will wait a couple of months to see if the PFL will pull something up. If not, I will see if there is something in boxing either. But it's not like it's top in my mind," the 38-year-old said.
Ngannou Respects Stipe Miocic Following Latter's Retirement
Francis Ngannou drew a line in the sand-don't look for him to give Jake Paul ring space anytime soon. But Deontay Wilder could still be in store, leaving fans eager to know what's next for "The Predator."
Last week, Jon Jones said that disrespect shouldn't happen following Stipe Miocic's rude comment. Just recently, MMA Fighting reported that Stipe Miocic announced retirement after a third-round stoppage against Jones.
About this, Ngannou said that he still admired Miocic. He thanked his two-time opponent for what he had done for the sport.
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