Jake Paul continues to dominate headlines in the boxing world, not just for his performances but for the sheer attention he brings to the sport. His ability to draw eyeballs has made him a magnet for fighters looking to boost their own profiles. Take Gervonta Davis, for example. If not for his unexpected majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr., ‘Tank’ was reportedly set to face ‘The Problem Child’ in an exhibition bout. But does that mean Paul should be calling out just anyone?

Ahead of his upcoming bout with former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., an old clip from the Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry podcast, originally aired on November 18, 2024, has resurfaced. In it, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who won over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta last night, issues a stark warning to Paul about targeting former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

While discussing fighter paydays, co-host and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo noted that big money is often tied to fighting Jake Paul. Usman responded bluntly, “Listen, Francis could have s*x with you if he wanted to…” leaving Cejudo stunned. Usman added, “Jake Paul, no. Don’t do it. That’s not what you want.” The warning came not long after Ngannou fired off a tweet reacting to Paul’s blockbuster fight with 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

He wrote, “Next time I see this @jakepaul guy I’m gonna give him 2 or 3 slaps 😬😬.” Tyson and Ngannou, notably, had grown close while preparing for Ngannou’s October 2023 showdown against Tyson Fury, where ‘Iron’ Mike helped train ‘The Predator.’ So far, it appears Paul has taken the hint. While both he and Ngannou are signed to the PFL, there has been no real movement toward a fight between them, boxing or MMA.

Instead, Paul seems more interested in supporting Ngannou’s efforts to land another major bout, rather than stepping into the cage with him.

Jake Paul backs Francis Ngannou vs. heavyweight champion

The 28-year-old threw his support behind a blockbuster fight between former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Paul thinks it’s “the perfect final dance for the two greatest MMA heavyweights of all time,” as he expressed his enthusiasm for the long-rumored fight.

Paul, who owns a stake in PFL, took to social media to share his thoughts on the fight. “Jon Jones wants it. Francis Ngannou wants it. Big fight for the sport, big fight for the fans, big business. Who doesn’t want it?” he posted. In the meantime, Jones left the combat world ablaze by calling out Ngannou directly. 

“That’s a real super fight. A clash of champions, not just hype… Two kings from different roads,” Jones wrote. Things escalated further when Ngannou responded, writing, “You take care of the UFC, I’ll take care of the PFL, and we’ll finally find out who’s the KING OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT.” Despite the approval from both fighters, whether UFC President Dana White agrees remains to be seen.

That being said, it appears that as Jake Paul prepares to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who hasn’t fought in a year and is in decline at the age of 39, Paul was reminded of the consequences of facing a real fighter. While the fight itself would never likely happen, it’s interesting to speculate what would happen if it did. What do you think would happen if Ngannou fought Jake Paul?