Copyright Athlon Sports
Highlights Jake Paul’s fight with Gervonta Davis remains in jeopardy amid new allegations. Francis Ngannou was contacted as a possible replacement. Ngannou explains why he turned down the offer, even with a potential multi-million dollar payday on the table. The fallout from Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis continues to ripple across combat sports. With Davis facing yet another round of allegations, Paul’s team has gone into full-court press mode to find a new opponent. The bout, originally set for November, now looks likely to be pushed back to December as Most Valuable Promotions scrambles to save the event — but one big-name target has already made it clear he’s not interested. Francis Ngannou, who last boxed Anthony Joshua on March 8, 2024, losing by knockout, confirmed to TMZ Sports that he was approached about stepping in. The former UFC heavyweight champion didn’t mince words when recalling the exchange: ‘I’m like, no bro, come on,’ Ngannou recounted. ‘I mean, don’t disrespect me like that.’ According to Ngannou, Jake Paul’s camp asked if the right payday might change his mind, but he quickly shut that down. ‘If it was about the number, I would have tell you,’ he said. ‘I’m just not interested, it makes no sense for me. It’s not what I’m looking at right now.’ Ngannou doubled down, emphasizing that it’s not about the money or exposure — it’s about purpose. ‘The fight makes no sense. That’s what I think, that’s my position.’ Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported that Team Paul has been actively reaching out to potential replacements, with names already being floated for the rescheduled date. Given the size of the platform and Netflix’s backing, the payday should be a sizable one — but clearly, that wasn’t enough to sway Ngannou. For now, the Jake Paul vs. Davis saga remains in flux, and the search for a replacement continues. But as Ngannou made clear, he won’t be the one answering that call — no matter how big the bag might be.
