Jake Paul was scheduled to face Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition boxing match on Nov. 15, but the sideshow matchup was doomed from the start. The booking quickly drew criticism from fighters and analysts.
The bout was originally scheduled to take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia but state of Georgia declined to host the fight due to the weight discrepancy between the two. For his last fight, Davis fought at 136 pounds. For his last match, Paul tipped the scales at 199.4. The fight card was then moved to the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, but later cancelled by Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix after a lawsuit was filed against Davis alleging domestic violence.
Netflix and MVP stated their intentions to still have Paul headline a fight card to be aired on the streaming platform before the end of the year. The search for an opponent began. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was one of the fighters approached, but showed no interest in facing Paul.
“There’s no such a thing happening,” Ngannou told TMZ Sports. “How can they go from Gervonta Davis to Francis Ngannou? I mean, Gervonta Davis is a fantastic boxer, and he’s a one-show knockout artist, but come on. The weight difference and everything. It makes no sense.”
““Nakisa [Badarian] reached out the other day and tells me how they need a replacement for Gervonta,” Ngannou explained. “I’m like, ‘No, bro. Come on. I mean, don’t disrespect me like that.”
Related: Jake Paul goes off on ‘piece of garbage’ Gervonta Davis after fight cancellation
Ngannou’s comments didn’t sit well with Paul and led to a fiery back-and-forth exchange on social media.
“Dear Francis – just say you already got humiliated in boxing and are scared to lose to Jake Paul. I accept that. You are light work my friend. Stuck in mud,” Paul wrote on X.
Dear Francis – just say you already got humiliated in boxing and are scared to lose to Jake Paul. I accept that. You are light work my friend. Stuck in mud.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 4, 2025
It wasn’t long before Ngannou responded. “Choose your words wisely boy,” Ngannou wrote back on X, quote-tweeting Paul’s message. “I agree that you need someone to discipline you for what you did to Mike Tyson, but stay in your lane.”
Choose your words wisely boy. I agree that you need someone to discipline you for what you did to Mike Tyson, but stay in your lane.😤 https://t.co/EpBFWrKMjk
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) November 4, 2025
Paul quickly fired back calling Ngannou a “con man.”
“My lane helped your lane. I spoke up for you over and over again. No more. Look at yourself in the mirror. God don’t like ugly. Maybe the truth is you are a fake holier than thou actor, when it’s always been just about you. Maybe use your platform to speak on the youth of your country (posting a flag ain’t it), instead of doing tmz interviews like a con man to talk about me. Reality check…I sleep you in boxing and Jon Jones does in,” Paul wrote.
My lane helped your lane. I spoke up for you over and over again. No more. Look at yourself in the mirror. God don’t like ugly. Maybe the truth is you are a fake holier than thou actor, when it’s always been just about you. Maybe use your platform to speak on the youth of your… https://t.co/opG82hZpBQ
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 4, 2025