Jake Paul would be “keen” for a fight with Francis Ngannou or a rematch with Tommy Fury should the boxer return successfully from a broken jaw, his business partner Nakisa Bidarian told Sky Sports.
Paul had previously told Ariel Helwani that his boxing career was “most definitely” in doubt after he had to have two titanium plates fitted and multiple teeth removed as a result of his knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua, but he made headlines again just two days later when he offered Canelo Alvarez $200m to fight him.
A match-up with a hard puncher like Ngannou could have been seen to be a health risk considering the American’s injuries – but Bidarian insists that, from Paul’s perspective, this is not the case.
Co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) Nakisa Bidarian
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Paul provoked a heated response from Ngannou when they traded words at the Rousey vs Carano press conference
Credit: Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix
“I think Jake views Ngannou as being very powerful, but very slow and flat-footed and not having good movement,” Bidarian told Sky Sports. “Jake’s keen for that fight. Jake’s keen for the Tommy Fury rematch. Jake’s keen to try to become a cruiserweight champion.
“Jake is keen to also think about other names that we’ve discussed that I won’t mention. Obviously, Canelo’s there, but other names as well. I don’t know. I don’t think that rules out Francis at all.
“It’s a fight that I want to do, but again, I’m in the business of supporting the fighters. If that’s what Jake truly wants to do and that’s what Francis wants to do, we’ll do our best to make it happen.
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Paul answers the 15 questions you’ve ALWAYS wanted to ask a pro boxer in Boxing Unpacked
“I’ve always said the following – no matter how the jaw heals, it’s all about getting into sparring and seeing how it reacts to impact.
“Once he’s back into sparring, once he gets hit flush, then we’ll see.
“The plan is for him to be back at the end of the year, late November to mid-December timeframe. That’s our focus. That’s what our team is building around.”
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Paul told Sky Sports he is eyeing a fight with Ngannou in his comeback bout after losing to Anthony Joshua
Despite the war of words between Paul and Ngannou, Bidarian also revealed there is still a significant possibility of a rematch with Tommy Fury.
“Tommy Fury’s fighting in a spectacle exhibition in a couple of weeks. I think it’s six two-minute rounds. It’s interesting, big man versus a medium-sized man, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
“If they’re realistic about what the opportunity is, then 100 per cent, that’s the easiest fight to make, and it’s the logical fight to make for both guys.”
Bidarian: My priority is to make Ngannou vs Verhoeven
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Andy Scott is joined by Hamzah Sheeraz and Tony Sims as they discuss Oleksandr Usyk’s much-talked-about stoppage victory over Rico Verhoeven
Most Valuable Promotions debut MMA event last week saw Ronda Rousey submit Gina Carano after just 15 seconds in a bout watch by 17 million worldwide – but Bidarian’s sights, while Paul focuses on his return from injury, are already set on another huge potential cage fight.
“We’ve been pretty clear since Saturday – Jake has – that we’d like to make Francis [Ngannou] versus Rico [Verhoeven]. We are in the early stages of having those discussions.
“Obviously those discussions were had ad nauseam prior to MVP MMA, because there was a scenario where it was Francis versus Rico as a part of MVP MMA One, but that’s a desire of ours.”
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Usyk survived an incredible performance from kickboxing legend Verhoeven as the fight was waved off with seconds remaining in the 11th round. Highlights courtesy of DAZN and Ring Magazine
Verhoeven almost shocked the boxing world with an incredible performance in an epic against Oleksandr Usyk before the fight was controversially stopped seconds before the 11th-round bell – a decision Bidarian did not agree with.
“I think [Rico] surprised everyone and showed that there’s real skill in boxing in other disciplines of martial arts,” he said.
“And I wish they would have let it go to the 12th round. You know, there’s different arguments on, well, it would have been the same outcome – the referee could have saved him from more damage – but, at that level with those stakes, given how well he’d done up to that point… you had to let him go to the 12th round.
“[The referee] can put the onus on [Verhoeven’s trainer] Peter Fury.
“If he felt that Rico shouldn’t come out for the 12th round, let his coach, let his corner make that decision. Not you, arbitrarily, in the heat of the moment.”
Watch Amanda Serrano vs Cheyenne Hanson face off for the WBA and WBO featherweight titles and Stephanie Han vs Holly Holm fight for the WBA lightweight title at MVP Boxing from El Paso, live on Sky Sports Main Event from 2am on Sunday.
