“Next time I see this guy, I’m gonna give him two or three slaps,” Francis Ngannou posted on X, voicing his frustration, or perhaps disbelief, at Jake Paul’s victory by unanimous decision over his idol, Mike Tyson in their recent exhibition bout. Combat sports thrive on hypotheticals – from dream matchups to absurd what-ifs, we never tire of pitting fighters across eras, styles and even weight classes. But for Ngannou, the idea of stepping into the ring with Jake Paul, has firmly been reduced to a joke.

When ‘The Predator’ was asked about a potential showdown with ‘The Problem Child’, he didn’t just shut it down, he laughed it off. With heavyweight legends like Mike Tyson still commanding attention even at his age, why wouldn’t Francis Ngannou entertain such an idea? “No, no, no, no, come on, don’t be silly,” Ngannou responded to TMZ, clearly unimpressed, when asked if he would fight Paul. As definitive and dismissive it sounded, the 38 year old couldn’t resist a playful jab. “Maybe if we put the two brothers in the arena, then yeah, maybe there’s something to do there,” he quipped. “Come on, like respect me a little bit.“, joked Francis Ngannou.

Though his tone revealed a mix of humour and disdain, the prospect of sharing a ring with Paul brothers felt outright disrespectful to him. His response highlights the vast gulf he perceives between himself, a legitimate former UFC heavyweight champion and the Paul brothers, who have built their boxing careers on spectacle.

What sparked all this chatter? Mike Tyson, the legendary “Iron” Mike, who remains a global icon even at 58. His allure is built on a storied career of genuine athletic dominance, whereas Jake Paul’s fame stems from his ability to disrupt traditional norms. It’s a dichotomy Ngannou respects but doesn’t necessarily want to embrace. “They practice a sport under a regulation, and they did entertain. Whether you like it or not, there was a curiosity,” Ngannou said, acknowledging the public’s fascination with Tyson and, by extension, the Paul brothers.

Francis Ngannou on blurring the lines between boxing and showbiz

Mike Tyson, once a wrecking ball of heavyweight division, has transitioned into a new role tat mixes inspiration and entertainment. His willingness to engage in exhibition bouts at an age where most fighters have long retired showcases his adaptability. Francis Ngannou, along with many fighters and fans, reveres Tyson for his accomplishments and ability to stay relevant. Still, he uses Tyson’s bout as a point of reflection, perhaps justifying why the fight with Jake Paul even happened.

The Cameroonian-French star sees a similar dynamic with the Paul Brothers, definitely on a much different level. “Yeah, it’s working good for them, they’re good.“, ‘The Predator’ said, highlighting their ability to blend sport with entertainment. He likened their approach to Netflix’s model, saying, “When you subscribe to Netflix, you go there for entertainment. And if this is not entertainment, I don’t know what you are looking for.”

The shift toward entertainment-driven combat sports has drawn both criticism and admiration from long-time fight fans. Fans tune in not just to see the Pauls of this era fight, but to  also see if they’ll lose to the OGs. It’s spectacle over substance, a sharp contrast to Ngannou’s career, defined by raw athleticism and sheer dominance. While the Paul brothers aren’t the first to capitalize on this intersection of sport and spectacle, Mike Tyson’s ability to reinvent himself for a modern audience has paved way for fighters like Ngannou to think beyond traditional fights. But while Tyson embraces exhibition fights, Ngannou remains staunch in his commitment to serious competition.

Bottom line – even if we see couple of slaps, we definitely won’t be seeing Jake Paul get boxed out of spite by Francis Ngannou. But as Ngannou succinctly put it, there’s one scenario where he’d entertain the idea: “Put the two poor brother(s) in the cage, and lock the cage, then yeah maybe there’s something to do there.”

With both Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul under the PFL banner, the idea of a showdown isn’t as far-fetched as it seems. Would you pay to see Ngannou take on the Paul brothers? Or does this matchup cross the line between sport and entertainment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!