Francis Ngannou reacts to Jake Paul beating Mike Tyson, warns 'The Problem Child' about "2 or 3 slaps"
Francis Ngannou has chimed in with his reaction to Jake Paul's victory over Mike Tyson. 'The Predator', who's often spoken about Tyson being one of his biggest idols and inspirations to become a professional fighter, issued a warning to Paul.
Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight champion who's also competed in a pair of high-profile professional boxing matches. The French-Cameroonian combatant recently ended his two-year-plus MMA hiatus, making his PFL debut with a title-clinching thunderous KO win over Renan Ferreira in Oct. 2024.
On the other hand, Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing and is considered one of the greatest pugilists of all time. The 58-year-old had last competed in a pro boxing match in June 2005 and an exhibition boxing match in Nov. 2020.
'Iron Mike' unretired and faced YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in a heavyweight boxing bout that headlined Netflix's first-ever live boxing card. The event went down at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, U.S.A., on Nov. 15, 2024.
The 58-year-old Tyson, who's beheld as a ferocious knockout puncher and highly accomplished pugilist, was unable to match the 27-year-old Paul's speed. 'The Problem Child' outpointed Tyson, handing the boxing great a unanimous decision defeat. Many fans and experts have criticized the matchmaking. Paul, in particular, has been condemned for fighting someone 30-plus years his senior.
Ngannou has often asserted that watching Tyson sparked his love for boxing, leading him to travel the world and eventually become an MMA champion and box as well. Ngannou and Paul are both currently regarded as important ambassadors for the PFL MMA organization. Paul has repeatedly hinted that he'll make his MMA debut under the PFL banner.
Moreover, Ngannou has been known to share a cordial relationship with Paul, who even moderated ceremonial pre-fight face-offs between him and Ferreira earlier this year.
Regardless, Ngannou didn't seem pleased with Paul defeating Tyson in their boxing match. Indicating that he'd slap Paul, Ngannou tweeted:
"Next time I see this @jakepaul guy I'm gonna give him 2 or 3 slaps"
Francis Ngannou predicted a dominant win for Mike Tyson during an in-person chat with Jake Paul
After losing to Jake Paul, Mike Tyson challenged his older brother Logan Paul, who seemed open to boxing against the legend. Presently, it's unclear as to whom Jake would fight next. Meanwhile, after his victory over Renan Ferreira last month, Francis Ngannou signaled that he's eyeing a return to either MMA or boxing in the second quarter of 2025.
The aforementioned tweet wasn't the first time he sided with Tyson against Paul. During an appearance on the B/S with Jake Paul podcast in September 2024, the former UFC star was asked whether he foresaw 'Iron Mike' beating the young boxer.
Ngannou responded by suggesting, right to Paul's face, that Tyson would dominantly defeat the influencer. He said:
"Yeah. I do... We're talking about Mike, bro. Mike is something else."
Check out Ngannou's comments below:
Watch Ngannou and Paul discuss the topic below (1:13:45):