Francis Ngannou Gives His Honest Thoughts on Jake Paul vs. Canelo Rumors: “He is a legit boxer now”

Francis Ngannou, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current PFL Superfight Champion, has shared his perspective on a potential boxing match between Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez. In an interview with Sportsbook Review, Ngannou acknowledged Jake Paul's progress in boxing but noted that he hasn't reached Canelo's level. He emphasized the significant weight difference between the two, suggesting it could benefit Paul but wouldn't bridge the skill gap. Francis Ngannou told Sportsbook Review that he has seen Jake Paul evolve to become a legitimate boxer overtime. "Jake Paul has become a real boxer, but I don't think he's at the level of Canelo. I think we can all agree that over time, he has become a boxer. Not at the level of Canelo, but we can all agree that he is a legit boxer now.”"All the elite MMA fighters have to start somewhere. They had a day one. They had their first fight. He will have his first fight and I cannot judge him beforehand. I will judge him after. I will decide if he's good, if he's not good or if he needs to improve this or that after the fight.”Ngannou pointed out the importance of weight classes in the fight, "Now, the component that is very important that I have to raise here is the weight class. There’s a huge difference of weight between them both, which could be advantageous for Jake Paul, and it could compensate for his level of boxing compared to Canelo. I think it's still going to be tough”, Lgannou said of the potential fight between Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez."I think he will meet a fighter that is also at the beginning of his career and doesn’t have much experience. Regardless of his passion or his fame, they’ll need to find an opponent that is on the same starting level, an early pro.” Lgannou added.Ngannou had earlier also addressed the idea of facing Jake Paul himself, dismissing it as unrealistic. He had humorously suggested that if both Paul brothers were in the cage, it might be worth considering.Also Read: Leon Edwards' new opponent for UFC Fight Night 255 in London is confirmed after replacing Jack Della MaddalenaRegarding crossover fights between MMA and boxing, Ngannou says he supports athletes exploring both arenas. He believes that if Paul transitions to MMA, he should face an opponent with a similar experience level to ensure a fair contest.