After Jake Paul canceled his fight with Gervonta Davis, he faced Anthony Joshua, who knocked him out in the sixth round, with Paul’s team attributing the loss to a size disadvantage rather than skill, while Francis Ngannou had previously declined the match due to feeling disrespected by the offer.
When Jake Paul canceled his fight with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, he quickly hunted for a new opponent to ensure he fought before 2025 ended.
He set his sights on Anthony Joshua, the two-time heavyweight champ, but only after Francis Ngannou declined. Ngannou felt disrespected by the offer, leaving Paul’s partner, Nakisa Bidarian, baffled.
“The whole situation with Francis was very confusing to me,” Bidarian confessed at the post-fight press conference. Ngannou’s interviews added layers to the mystery.
Bidarian praised Ngannou as a revolutionary in fight sports, noting his stand against the UFC. Yet, the negotiation process left him puzzled, given Ngannou’s character.
The comparison arose between Paul’s performance against Joshua and Ngannou’s match with him in 2024. Ngannou suffered a harsh second-round knockout, courtesy of Joshua’s powerful punch.
Paul, on the other hand, lasted until the sixth round, although he mostly evaded action. He threw just 56 punches, landing a mere 16 against Joshua (per CompuBox).
Despite his efforts, Paul faced a similar fate when Joshua’s brutal right hand broke his jaw, ending the fight. Bidarian argued that Paul’s loss was due more to the size difference than skill.
“A great game plan and preparation,” Bidarian said, emphasizing Paul’s heart. He believed the weight difference drained Paul’s energy, not his skill.
Joshua’s strategy of wearing Paul down was evident. “AJ talked about taking out the man’s soul,” Bidarian remarked. “He didn’t take out his soul but definitely his energy.”