Jake Paul's boxing career is at a crossroads following a devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, but the brash influencer-turned-pugilist is already plotting his next moves. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), revealed that Paul is "keen" on high-stakes bouts against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou or a rematch with Tommy Fury as soon as he recovers from the broken jaw sustained in the Joshua fight.
The horrific injury, which required the insertion of two titanium plates and the extraction of multiple teeth, briefly cast doubt over Paul's future in the ring. Paul himself admitted to Ariel Helwani that his boxing career was "most definitely" in doubt. Yet within days, he was back in the headlines, offering Canelo Alvarez a staggering $200 million to step into the ring with him, highlighting his knack for generating buzz even from a hospital bed.
Bidarian's comments paint a picture of a fighter undeterred by physical trauma. He suggested that Paul sees Ngannou as a powerful but flawed opponent, characterizing him as "very slow and flat-footed" with poor movement. Despite the risk this poses to his healing jaw, Paul is "keen for that fight," Bidarian said, alongside a desire to avenge his sole professional defeat in a Tommy Fury rematch and chase a cruiserweight title.
The prospect of facing Ngannou is particularly intriguing given the Cameroonian's reputation as one of the hardest punchers in combat sports. Paul's camp appears to believe that Ngannou's plodding style would allow the American to use his superior hand speed and footwork to control the distance. However, any miscalculation could be disastrous, especially with hardware still in place. Bidarian emphasized that the true test will come in sparring when Paul absorbs his first clean shots.
A second date with Tommy Fury carries its own narrative weight. Their first encounter in February 2023 ended in a split-decision win for Fury, marking Paul's first professional loss. Since then, Paul has rebuilt with wins over mixed martial artists while Fury has dabbled in exhibitions. Bidarian noted that if both sides are "realistic about what the opportunity is," a rematch is "the easiest fight to make" and the most logical next step. Financially, it's a guaranteed payday that would settle lingering questions from the original contest.
Beyond these immediate options, Paul's ambitions remain astronomical. The $200 million challenge to Canelo, though widely dismissed as a publicity stunt, underscores his relentless drive to gatecrash boxing's elite. Bidarian confirmed that other "names" are on the table, hinting at a broader strategy to position Paul as a legitimate title contender rather than a novelty act. His stated goal of becoming a cruiserweight champion would demand victories over far more seasoned professionals.
The road back begins later this year, with a target return between late November and mid-December. Medical clearance is only the first step; the psychological hurdle of trusting a once-shattered jaw against live punching must be overcome. As Bidarian put it, "No matter how the jaw heals, it's all about getting into sparring and seeing how it reacts to impact." That process could make or break Paul's 2024 campaign.
While Paul heals, MVP is already pushing forward with other blockbuster plans. Bidarian revealed that the promotion is keen to stage a crossover fight between Ngannou and Dutch kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven. Discussions are in early stages, but such a matchup nearly materialized on MVP's debut MMA event last week. Pitting Ngannou's raw knockout power against Verhoeven's decorated striking acumen would be a major spectacle in the hybrid combat sports space.
Verhoeven's stock surged after he took unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to the brink in a boxing match last month. The fight was stopped controversially in the 11th round, a decision Bidarian criticized harshly: "I wish they would have let it go to the 12th round... you had to let him go to the 12th round." Verhoeven's competitive showing against an elite boxer only fuels intrigue for a potential showdown with Ngannou, who himself is coming off a stoppage loss to Joshua.
The implications ripple across the boxing landscape. For Paul, a successful return against a name like Ngannou or Fury would silence doubters and open doors to bigger pay-per-view events. A Ngannou bout, especially, would attract crossover audiences and massive revenue, though the risk of re-injury looms. For Ngannou, facing Paul would be a chance to rebound in a lucrative boxing match after the Joshua setback. And if MVP can deliver Ngannou vs. Verhoeven, it would further cement the trend of cross-discipline superfights that have come to define modern combat sports.
In many ways, Jake Paul's ability to remain the center of attention—even while nursing a broken jaw—is a testament to his promotional brilliance. Whether that translates into a lasting legacy will depend on what happens when he steps back into the ring and gets hit. Based on reporting from Sky Sports.