Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis shoves Jake Paul at Miami press conference faceoff
Gervonta “Tank” Davis put hands on Jake Paul at the faceoff for their second press conference in Miami ahead of their Nov. 14 boxing match on Netflix.
Francis Ngannou felt disrespected that Jake Paul’s team called upon him to replacement Gervonta Davis on less than three weeks’ notice.
With Davis’ status in limbo for the planned boxing match against Paul scheduled for Nov. 15 on Netflix due to another domestic violence allegation, some late scrambling has unfolded to find a backup option.
The date for Paul’s next bout is reportedly being shifted to Dec. 12 or Dec. 19, and Ngannou’s name was one of many reportedly being discussed as the new opponent.
Ngannou confirmed Monday to TMZ that he was contacted, but said he was not compelled by the opportunity.
“Yes, Nakisa (Badarian) reached out the other day and told me how they need a replacement for Gervonta and after I listened, I wasn’t getting it,” Ngannou said. “I said, ‘OK, what can I do for you? What exactly?’ He said, ‘We’re looking for a replacement.’ But I still don’t get it. Like, ‘OK, what exactly can I do for you?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, we were thinking about you to fight Jake.’ I was like, ‘What? Who’s Jake?’ I was so confused. I wasn’t expecting that at all.
“He said, ‘Jake Paul, you know he’s fighting.’ I’m like, ‘No bro, come on. Don’t disrespect me like that.’ They even come out after and said, ‘What if the numbers are good?’ He sent out some number. I said, ‘It’s not about the number, if it was about the number we could’ve started talking, I would have told you.’ I’m just not interested. It makes no sense for me. It’s not what I’m looking at right now.”
Whether former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou is using interviews as a leverage play for a bigger offer remains to be seen. He is currently contracted to PFL for one more fight in MMA, but has freedom to explore boxing opportunities in his contract, as he did when he faced Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
However, the 39-year-old Ngannou was quite definitive in his lack of interest in sharing the ring with Paul and thinks it’s not the right fit for his career at this point in time.
“No, there’s no such thing happening,” Ngannou said. “How can they go from Gervonta Davis to Francis Ngannou? Gervonta Davis is a fantastic boxer and is a one-shot knockout artist, but come on. They’re way different in everything and it makes no sense. Gervonta Davis you say, ‘OK, the size difference can level up.’ But at this point, for me to do it, makes no sense.”
