Jake Paul is already looking ahead to a possible return following his knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua.
The bout came together after a planned exhibition between Paul and Gervonta Davis fell through, opening the door for Joshua to take the lucrative matchup. Other names, including Francis Ngannou and Terence Crawford, were also approached, but Joshua ultimately secured the fight, handing Paul a decisive defeat.
Speaking on Impaulsive, Paul revealed that Ngannou remains firmly on his radar as a future opponent. Paul claimed he would perform better against Ngannou than Joshua did and suggested the former UFC heavyweight champion might now be more open to the idea, considering that earlier Ngannou declined a fight with Paul, calling the offer insulting due to the circumstances under which it was made.
Ngannou has competed just once in MMA since his knockout loss to Joshua in March 2024 which came inside two rounds and despite Paul’s confidence, Ngannou had earlier rejected stepping in as a replacement opponent after being offered the fight following the collapse of the Davis exhibition.
Paul has continued to speak publicly about a return to the ring in 2026, and though doubts remain about his future, Paul appears determined to keep his comeback plans alive, with Ngannou at the top of his list.
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