Jake Paul cancelled his November exhibition after a civil lawsuit was filed against Gervonta Davis. With Paul still looking to box in December, SportNews’ Andy Scott considers what his options are…
Ngannou seems to have ruled himself out, citing the disrespect of moving from a lightweight boxing titlist to a former UFC heavyweight champion.
"It's not about the number," Ngannou added.
But the spectacle certainly would have captured the fans' imagination.
The former pound-for-pound star and two-weight world champion has long resisted a boxing comeback.
But he maintains a high-level of fitness and according to boxing insiders is still a regular in the gym.
At 41, Ward is a long shot but is yet to rule himself out publicly.
The pair have already fought, with Paul winning on points back in August 2023. Diaz, an MMA great, brings crossover appeal.
He could well be the front-runner having accepted the fight offer on his social media channels.
AJ is planning to fight before the end of the year, has been linked to Paul in the past and has boxed in a cross-over contest when he flattened Francis Ngannou.
But it could be viewed as a waste of a promotion for Joshua to step in as a late notice opponent.
If their fight ever happened it could be enormous with a proper build-up.
Rival broadcaster issues could also be a barrier to getting any sort of agreement over the line.
Ryan Garcia and Terence Crawford have also been mentioned online as being contacted by MVP, Paul's promotional company.
Whoever it may be, the clock is ticking for the "Problem Child" to find a solution.
