Jake Paul Eyes Sensational Winter Ring Return Against...

‘Powerful But Flat-Footed’: Jake Paul Eyes Sensational Winter Ring Return Against Francis Ngannou or Tommy Fury Rematch

LONDON — Internet celebrity turned professional boxer Jake Paul is planning a blockbuster return to the ring before the end of the year, with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and bitter British rival Tommy Fury topping a short, highly lucrative hitlist.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Paul’s long-time business partner and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) co-founder Nakisa Bidarian revealed that "The Problem Child" has officially resumed training following severe facial injuries.

The 29-year-old American has been sidelined since December 2025, when a brutal sixth-round knockout defeat at the hands of former unified world champion Anthony Joshua left him with a shattered jaw, requiring two titanium plates to be surgically inserted and several teeth removed.

Despite initial fears that the devastating loss could end his polarizing athletic career, Bidarian confirmed that Paul’s appetite for high-stakes prizefighting remains entirely undiminished.

The Heavyweight Gamble

The most audacious name on Paul's radar is undoubtedly Ngannou. While the influencer’s ultimate sporting ambition remains capturing a legitimate world title at cruiserweight, his camp has actively engaged in logistical talks for a heavyweight spectacle against the Cameroonian knockout artist.

The two fighters exchanged heated words during media junkets earlier this month for MVP’s highly successful Netflix MMA debut, which saw Ngannou score a thunderous first-round knockout over Philipe Lins. According to Bidarian, Paul believes he has spotted an architectural flaw in the former UFC king's boxing technique that he can exploit.

“I think Jake views Francis Ngannou as being very powerful, but very slow, flat-footed, and not having good head movement,” Bidarian explained to Sky Sports. “So Jake’s keen for that fight. If that’s what Francis wants to do, we’ll do our best to make it happen.”

Settling the Fury Score

Should the severe weight disparity of a Ngannou bout prove too logistically difficult to overcome, Paul’s team is concurrently plotting a long-awaited path back to Tommy Fury (11-0, 4 KOs).

The pair originally fought in Saudi Arabia in February 2023, where Manchester's Fury secured a narrow split-decision victory, handing Paul his first professional defeat. Rumours of a sequel have swirled for three years, with both camps repeatedly trading public barbs over collapsed financial negotiations.

The timing for a rematch aligns perfectly with the British summer boxing schedule. Fury is currently deep in training for a highly unusual, DAZN-broadcasted crossover exhibition against former World's Strongest Man winner Eddie Hall on Saturday 13th June.

Should Fury emerge unscathed from his clash with the brawny lifter, a winter pay-per-view rematch against a vindictive Paul would comfortably rank among the most commercially lucrative British boxing events of the year.

Jake Paul's Winter Return – Potential Opponents

The Canelo Mirage

Bidarian also touched upon persistent internet rumours connecting Paul to Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez, following claims from Paul that the multi-weight champion had verbally agreed to a $200 million super-fight during a private phone call.

However, speaking on the Mr. Versace Podcast earlier this week, Alvarez summarily dismissed the narrative, revealing he had merely answered a sudden, impromptu FaceTime call from a friend who happened to run into Paul at the Coachella music festival.

“My friend starts shouting '$200 million, $200 million,' and I didn’t say anything because I don't really care about this fight,” Alvarez remarked bluntly. “I just laughed, said I have nothing against him, and that's it.” With Alvarez fully locked into a mandatory defence against Christian Mbilli this autumn, Paul’s team has conceded that any potential Mexican showdown will have to remain on the backburner.

The Verdict

While fight fans remain deeply divided over the health risks of a fighter returning from a double-titanium jaw surgery to face punchers of Ngannou or Fury's calibre, the commercial machine behind Paul shows zero signs of slowing down.

Whether it is a heavy-handed African giant or a bitter grudge match with a British reality star, "The Problem Child" is determined to prove that his bruising encounter with Anthony Joshua was merely a minor speedbump on his highly unorthodox journey through modern combat sports.