Jake Paul wants blockbuster fights against Francis Ngannou or Tommy Fury once his broken jaw heals. His team expects a return to the ring late this year. But everything depends on how the injury handles heavy impact during intense sparring sessions.
Paul is chasing monsters. The cruiserweight disrupter has his sights locked on the biggest names in combat sports. Nakisa Bidarian, Paul’s business partner, laid out the massive hit-list. The strategy is clear. They want heavy hitters and proven draws.
“I think Jake views Ngannou as being very powerful, but very slow and flat-footed and not having good movement, Bidarian told Sky Sports.”
Stepping into the ring with the former heavyweight kingpin is a massive risk. Ngannou packs dynamite in his gloves. He can shut the lights out with one punch. Still, the stylistic matchup favors a sharp counter-puncher who manages distance well.
“Jake’s keen for that fight. Jake’s keen for the Tommy Fury rematch. Jake’s keen to try to become a cruiserweight champion.”
Revenge is firmly on the agenda. Fury handed Paul his first professional loss, leaning on superior amateur pedigree and range management to edge a decision. Paul wants that one back. He is hunting absolute legitimacy in the squared circle.
“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.”
Throwing Canelo Alvarez into the mix shows supreme confidence. But the Ngannou clash presents the most intriguing crossover cash-grab.
“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.”
First, Paul has to heal. A broken jaw is a devastating injury for any fighter. Bone heals, but the mental block of getting hit in the face takes time to conquer. You cannot hide a weak chin in this brutal business.
“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.”
There is zero room for error. Training camps will dictate his immediate future.
“Once he’s back into sparring, once he gets hit flush, then we’ll see.”
Assuming the jaw holds up, the timeline is already mapped out. Promoters are circling dates.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Fury stays busy. The Brit is keeping his tools sharp.
“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 Paul and Fury both handle their business, the rematch writes itself. It guarantees millions.
“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.”
Beyond Paul’s return, MVP is aggressively pursuing other mega-fights. Matchmaking is a ruthless business. The brass wants Ngannou involved in another massive collision.
“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.”
This pairing promises fireworks. Both men are elite strikers with terrifying knockout power.
“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.”
Verhoeven recently proved his worth in a crossover bout. He showed serious grit.
“I think [Rico] surprised everyone and showed that there’s real skill in boxing in other disciplines of martial arts, he said.”
That recent fight ended in controversy. The referee stepped in late, robbing fans of a decisive finish. Bidarian was furious with the stoppage.
“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.”
Fighters deserve the chance to go out on their shield. A referee should let the corner throw in the towel if the beating gets too severe.
“[The referee] can put the onus on [Verhoeven’s trainer] Peter Fury.”
Corners know their fighters best. The official overstepped his boundaries in a championship-level bout.
“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.”
The combat sports calendar is heating up. Once Paul gets medically cleared, the ripple effects will shake up multiple divisions. Fans are demanding these blockbuster fights. Promoters are scrambling to get the contracts signed. The real action kicks off in the sparring ring, and if Paul’s jaw passes the crash test, expect absolute chaos by December.
