Jake Paul recently proposed a fight between kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou. The social media personality and professional boxer floated the matchup idea in recent comments.
Paul, who has built his boxing career around high-profile crossover fights, sees potential in pairing the Dutch kickboxing star with the Cameroonian knockout artist. Both fighters have competed in combat sports at the highest level, though in different disciplines.
MVP MMA co-owner Jake Paul has been very vocal with his thoughts that Verhoeven was the biggest winner from the fight and is now the best boxer in the world.
“Rico vs Francis MVP / MVP MMA,” Paul said in a post on X.
Francis Ngannou Reacts
Ngannou responded with an emoji, connoting that he would be interested in that clash.
Verhoeven holds multiple Glory Kickboxing heavyweight titles and is widely regarded as one of the top kickboxers in the world. Ngannou transitioned from the UFC to professional boxing in 2023, facing Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in high-profile bouts.
The proposed matchup would represent another crossover event in combat sports, a format Paul has championed throughout his promotional ventures. No official discussions or negotiations have been reported between the camps of either fighter.
Jake Paul claims he has a $200 million offer ready for Canelo Alvarez and says the Mexican star expressed interest during a phone call. Paul posted a video on social media making the announcement.
“Canelo, I have the $200 million for you, easy money. Jake vs. Canelo, let’s get it done. This is what the fans have been waiting for. This is the biggest fight that could possibly be made in boxing.”
Paul said the conversation with Canelo went well.
“Canelo said he’s down on the phone. So, we’re going to make it happen. I have the $200 million. I think that’s going to be the next fight. Sign the contract, Canelo. Much respect to you. Let’s make the biggest fight in boxing happen.”
The claim was met with immediate skepticism. Paul was stopped in six rounds by Anthony Joshua last December and later revealed he suffered a broken jaw requiring surgery. A $200 million guaranteed purse would be virtually unprecedented even for Saudi-backed mega-events, which typically structure paydays around site fees, sponsorship deals, streaming rights, and pay-per-view revenue rather than one guaranteed sum.
Timing also complicates the picture. Canelo is expected to return in September against Christian Mbilli, leaving little room for a sudden pivot.
Paul is no stranger to boxing promotion tactics, and the mention of Canelo’s name alone generates immediate headlines and social media debate regardless of how close any negotiations actually are.
Jake Paul has raised the possibility that his boxing career could be finished following the jaw injury sustained in his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last December, telling Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show that he is awaiting medical scans before any clearer picture can emerge.
Paul was knocked down twice in the fifth round and stopped in the sixth by Joshua in Miami in their Netflix main event. He subsequently shared images of his swollen jaw on social media and has been managing the injury since.
“I’m getting some new scans in a couple of days, of the jaw, to get an update on the healing process. We’ll see what the doctors say. I think I’ll be able to get a more accurate time-frame, or can I even fight again? That is definitely in the realm of possibility. It does feel a lot better as the weeks go by, but I definitely need to get cleared to be able to spar. I think it just depends on how the bone heals, and then there’s a tooth missing that I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to get an implant of some sort.”
Paul co-founded Most Valuable Promotions alongside Nakisa Bidarian and has been focused on the promotional side of the business during his recovery, with MVP MMA 1 headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano on Netflix this Saturday serving as the promotion’s next major event. Whether his fighting career resumes will depend on the results of the upcoming scans and the advice of his medical team.
MVPW-02 takes place Friday, April 17, 2026, at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, airing live on ESPN starting at 10 PM ET.
Most Valuable Promotions brings its women’s boxing platform to the U.S. for the first time with a historic all-women’s main card. Unified super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner defends her WBA, IBF, and WBO titles against South Korea’s Bo Mi Re Shin in the main event. Here’s everything you need to know.
Key Points
Main Event: Alycia Baumgardner (17-1, 7 KOs) defends her unified WBA/IBF/WBO super featherweight titles against Bo Mi Re Shin (19-3-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round, three-minute rounds contest
Co-Main Event: Shadasia Green (16-1, 11 KOs) puts her Ring, WBO, and IBF super middleweight titles on the line against Lani Daniels (11-4-2, 1 KO)
How to Watch: Main card on ESPN and ESPN App at 10 PM ET. Prelims stream on ESPN+ at 6:45 PM ET
First All-Women’s Main Card on ESPN
MVPW-02 marks a milestone for women’s boxing: the first all-women’s main card in ESPN history. The format flips the traditional script, with male fighters on the undercard supporting female headliners. MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian have positioned the promotion as the global home for women’s boxing through a multi-year ESPN deal running through 2028.
The card follows MVPW-01, which aired April 5 from London featuring Caroline Dubois vs. Terri Harper. MVPW-03 is already set for May 30 in El Paso with Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm 2.
Full Fight Card
Fight
Weight Class/Stakes
Alycia Baumgardner (c) vs. Bo Mi Re Shin
WBA/IBF/WBO Super Featherweight Titles (10 rounds)
Shadasia Green (c) vs. Lani Daniels
Ring/WBO/IBF Super Middleweight Titles
Tammara Thibeault vs. Nadja Jesus Santos
Middleweight (10 rounds)
Krystal Rosado vs. Fernanda Reyes
Bantamweight (8 rounds)
Jahmal Harvey vs. Leandro Medina
Lightweight
Javon Walton vs. Dionne Ruvalcaba
Lightweight (4 rounds)
Elon De Jesus vs. Connor Adaway
Super Bantamweight (8 rounds)
Alex Vargas vs. Ryan O’Rourke
Super Lightweight (8 rounds)
Main Event: Baumgardner vs. Shin
Alycia Baumgardner enters with three belts but not the fourth. The 31-year-old from Fremont, Ohio vacated her WBC title in September 2025 over her insistence on fighting three-minute rounds rather than the two-minute rounds the WBC mandates for women. That decision defines this fight: 10 rounds at three minutes each, the standard Baumgardner has championed.
Baumgardner has won her last five fights, including a unanimous decision over Jennifer Miranda at Taylor vs. Serrano 3 in July and a 12-round UD over Leila Beaudoin in December on the Joshua-Paul undercard. Her lone career loss came in 2018 to Christina Linardatou by split decision.
Bo Mi Re Shin brings experience and durability. The 32-year-old from Seoul owns the WBO Asia Pacific and WBC International super featherweight titles. Her three losses all came against elite opposition: a split decision to Delfine Persoon in 2023 and a majority decision to WBC lightweight champion Caroline Dubois in March 2025, where one judge scored it 95-95. She bounced back in November with a majority decision over Tywarna Campbell.
The winner positions herself for massive fights. Baumgardner has publicly stated she wants Amanda Serrano or Katie Taylor next.
Co-Main Event: Green vs. Daniels
Shadasia Green unified the WBO and IBF super middleweight titles with a split decision over Savannah Marshall at Madison Square Garden in July 2025. Marshall had been on the shelf for two years before that fight, and Green’s victory earned her “Athlete of the Year” honors in her hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
The 36-year-old’s only loss came to Franchon Crews-Dezurn in December 2023 for the WBC and interim WBA titles. Since then, she’s won three straight, adding world titles along the way. Green has openly called for a showdown with undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields.
Lani Daniels provides a direct comparison point. The New Zealand native lost a wide decision to Shields in 2025, giving Green a chance to measure herself against the same opponent. Daniels at 11-4-2 has been in with top competition throughout her career.
Undercard Watch: Thibeault vs. Santos
The featured undercard bout pits unbeaten Canadian prospect Tammara Thibeault (4-0, 3 KOs) against Brazil’s Nadja Jesus Santos (5-0, 3 KOs) at middleweight. Thibeault, 29, stopped Cristina Mazzotta in the first round last September. Santos, 43, knocked out Daniele Bastieri in three rounds in December. Both women are undefeated, making this a meaningful step up for whoever wins.
How to Watch MVPW-02
Date: Friday, April 17, 2026
Venue: Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City
Main Card: 10 PM ET on ESPN and ESPN App
Prelims: 6:45 PM ET on ESPN+
UK Broadcast: Sky Sports+
Fight week events include a press conference Wednesday, April 15 at 5 PM ET at Palladium Times Square and public weigh-ins Thursday, April 16 at 5 PM ET at Infosys Theater. Both events are free and open to the public.
Follow BoxingWire for live results, round-by-round coverage, and post-fight analysis from MVPW-02.
John Fury made a pointed public accusation against Jake Paul and KSI in a Playbook Boxing interview on March 19, claiming both owe him money from public bets and have refused to pay up — while also revealing that a major fight for son Tommy Fury is close to being finalized.
Jake Paul: ‘A Welsher’
John was characteristically unfiltered when the topic of Jake Paul came up, accusing the influencer-turned-boxer of failing to honor a £3 million public bet. He added that KSI — who fought Tommy Fury in October 2023 — is guilty of the same.
“Jake Paul bet me 3 million quid. He didn’t pay us. KSI bet me 200 grand. Never got that off him either. I’ll never let it go. I’ll tell everybody — Jake Paul’s a Welsher and so is KSI. Keep your money. I don’t need it. But you’re Welsh, the pair of you.”
On the long-awaited Tommy-Paul rematch, John said his side has been willing to do a deal — but Paul’s team keeps backing away. “We tried to do a deal. They run when they get near a deal. I said, ‘Okay, I’ll meet you in the middle.’ Radio silence. That’s the truth of the matter.”
Tommy Fight ‘Imminent’
Despite the rematch impasse, John said something significant is in motion for Tommy’s next fight. He stopped short of naming the opponent but made clear a deal is close.
“There’s something big in the pipeline, but I can’t discuss it. Let’s just say the ink’s on the way to the contract. It’s not there yet. But it’s imminent — we’ll see Tommy in the ring again in a big fight.”
He credited Tommy’s continued success to one key difference between his two sons: Tommy still listens. “Tommy’s at a stage where the difference is — Tommy will listen. I’ve not steered him wrong. He’s made loads of money. He’s unbeaten. He’s not been hurt. He’s been in some good positions. That’s good business.”
Five Years With One Hand
John also offered some important context for Tommy’s career record, revealing that his son has been dealing with a serious hand injury throughout his professional run — one that required major surgery.
“Tommy had one hand for five years. He’s had a major operation. And yet, they still won’t want to fight him.”
John also claimed credit for the broader crossover boxing model that has since been adopted across the sport. “We open the door. Saudi Arabia — first ones there. And they all thought, ‘Oh no, it’s a mismatch.’ We got no end of flack for it. ‘Oh, they’re bringing boxing into disrepute.’” He added that he now believes traditional boxing is losing the entertainment battle — “it’s sad to say because I’m a purist — I think it’s on its way out.”
Most Valuable Promotions has revealed the complete fight card for MVPW02, the inaugural U.S. event under Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s new all-women’s boxing platform. The card goes down Friday, April 17 at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, live on ESPN and the ESPN App.
MVPW02 Full Fight Card
Main Card
Alycia Baumgardner (c) vs. Bo Mi Re Shin – Unified WBA/WBO/IBF Super Featherweight Titles
Shadasia Green (c) vs. Lani Daniels – Unified Super Middleweight Titles
Tamm Thibeault vs. Nadja Jesus
Krystal Rosado vs. Fernanda Reyes
Undercard
Jahmal Harvey vs. Leandro Medina
Elon De Jesus vs. Connor Adaway
Wanna Walton vs. Dionne Ruvalcaba
Nat Dove vs. Maria Micheo
Raquel Miller vs. Adriana Araújo
Alex Vargas vs. Ryan O’Rourke
MVPW02 Preview
Headlining is unified super featherweight champion Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner (17-1, 7 KOs) putting her WBA, WBO, and IBF titles on the line against South Korea’s Bo Mi Re Shin (19-3-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round contest fought under men’s standard three-minute rounds.
Shin comes in fresh off a narrow majority decision loss to WBC lightweight champion Caroline Dubois in March 2025, making her one of the more dangerous challengers in the junior lightweight division.
“New York sets the tone for boxing’s biggest nights,” Baumgardner said. “I’m here to dominate and continue building something that lasts beyond belts. ESPN is where greatness is documented, and I’m ready to perform at that level.”
In the co-main event, unified super middleweight champion Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (16-1, 11 KOs) makes a title defense against former light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels (11-4-2, 1 KO) in a 10-round bout at 168 lbs.
MVPW02 serves as the U.S. linear debut for the newly launched MVPW platform, which secured a multi-year broadcast deal with ESPN through 2028. The event also marks the first boxing on ESPN since the network’s long-running partnership with Top Rank expired in July 2025. MVP has additionally locked in a three-year relationship with Madison Square Garden Entertainment to stage annual MVPW events at the iconic venue.
Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster and here at Boxing Wire Tickets.
🚨FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS🚨#MVPW02 is officially LOADED from top to bottom — headlined by Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner vs. Bo Mi Re Shin from the Infosys Theater at MSG in New York City on LIVE on ESPN 📺
Top Rank is closing in on a new broadcast home. Front Office Sports has confirmed that DAZN is finalizing a multiyear streaming deal with Bob Arum‘s promotion, with an official announcement expected later this week. The news was first reported by Ring Magazine, which has since deleted its original story.
DAZN declined to comment directly. “As company policy, we do not confirm, deny, or comment on market rumours or speculation regarding M&A, partnerships or rights deals,” a DAZN spokesperson told FOS.
Per The Ring’s original reporting, the deal calls for eight to 10 events per year at license fees of $1 million to $1.25 million per card — a steep drop from the roughly $85 million annually ESPN paid Top Rank under their eight-year partnership, which ended in July 2025.
DAZN Seeking More Content Amid Matchroom Frustrations
The Top Rank pursuit isn’t just about adding fights. According to FOS sources, DAZN has grown frustrated with Eddie Hearn‘s Matchroom Boxing and is actively seeking to expand its events inventory as it plays defense against the rising threat of Zuffa Boxing.
At the heart of the friction is a perception within DAZN that Hearn has been “double-dipping” — placing Matchroom fighters on outside cards while collecting nine figures annually from DAZN. Fighters including Anthony Joshua, Dmitry Bivol, Conor Benn, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, and Jai Opetaia have all competed on Riyadh Season and/or Ring cards. Katie Taylor fought Amanda Serrano twice on Netflix cards under Jake Paul’s MVP banner. Benn and Opetaia have since departed Matchroom for Zuffa.
In a notable case, Hearn told Alalshikh’s Ring Magazine that a Callum Smith vs. David Morrell fight was expected in Saudi Arabia — only for it to later be announced as a Matchroom card in Liverpool on April 18. DAZN holds a 40% stake in Matchroom.
A DAZN spokesperson pushed back on the friction narrative. “There’s absolutely no truth in the suggestion that DAZN is frustrated with Matchroom. We have just signed a new five-year deal with Matchroom, and we are very happy with our strong relationship and long-standing partnership.”
The Broader War: DAZN vs. Zuffa
The move for Top Rank comes as the boxing broadcast landscape grows increasingly combative. Zuffa Boxing — the joint venture between Saudi Arabia’s Sela and TKO Group Holdings, with leadership including Turki Alalshikh, WWE president Nick Khan, and UFC CEO Dana White — launched on Paramount+ in January and has been aggressively signing talent.
Zuffa signed Opetaia away from Matchroom in January and made a move on Rodriguez before Matchroom exercised a matching clause. It then signed Benn on a one-fight deal reportedly worth $15 million that Hearn declined to match. The bidding war has spilled into public sniping: White said Hearn “works for his dad,” while Hearn fired back that White’s “dad for many years has been the Fertitta brothers, and now he’s got a new daddy called Turki Alalshikh.” Alalshikh himself weighed in on social media, writing to Hearn: “I am always here for you. And if you call me, unlike Conor Benn, I will answer the phone.”
Adding Top Rank and its deep roster would give DAZN more leverage in that fight. Arum, 94, famously called DAZN a “Dead-Zone which nobody watches” back in 2022. By late 2024, he had softened considerably: “DAZN are doing a great job in boxing and the people who run DAZN are friends of ours.”
Top Rank’s Roster Ready to Return
Top Rank’s stable gives DAZN significant upside despite the modest license fees. Xander Zayas, Emanuel Navarrete, Keyshawn Davis, Bruce Carrington, Emiliano Vargas, and Abdullah Mason headline a roster that has been largely sidelined from consistent live streaming since ESPN’s exit. An official announcement from both sides is expected this week — BoxingWire will update this story when confirmed.
Jake Paul is back in the gym and wasting no time building hype. The YouTuber-turned-boxer posted a video on X showing himself shadowboxing and sparring, with “ANNOUNCEMENT MARCH 18TH” overlays splashed across the footage.
You won't expect this one hahahaha 😈⚡️announcement coming in 2 days March 18th pic.twitter.com/NT20egDt0p
The clip arrives just months after Paul suffered a jaw fracture in a December 2025 TKO loss to Anthony Joshua, a setback that sidelined him for much of the early part of 2026. The video emphasizes his physical condition and high-energy training, clearly designed to signal he’s healthy and ready to return.
Paul described the upcoming announcement as “unexpected,” which has sent fans and media into speculation mode. Replies on the post quickly filled with guesses ranging from a Ryan Garcia fight to a rematch with Tommy Fury, though nothing has been confirmed.
The announcement is set for Tuesday, March 18. BoxingWire will have full coverage once details are made official.
Jake Paul recently opened up about the moment his jaw broke during his bout against Anthony Joshua — and said he has zero regrets about taking the toughest challenge of his boxing career.
Paul recently had a sit-down interview with President Donald Trump at a factory rally in Ohio. The December 19, 2025, fight ended in a sixth-round knockout at Miami’s Kaseya Center, with post-fight X-rays revealing Paul had suffered fractures in two locations on his jaw.
Paul revealed that he didn’t actually know his jaw was broken during the fight — his brother had to tell him.
“My brother told me — I was talking to him and my teeth were like in the center of my mouth and he was like, ‘Yo, I think your jaw is broken,’” Paul said. “And then I grabbed it. It was the last punch. The very last punch of the fight that did it.”
Paul also described the shock of stepping into the ring and seeing Joshua’s full size up close for the first time.
“Not at the weigh-in, not at the press conference,” Paul said. “And then I got into the ring — I just saw his size and I was just like, ‘Okay, this is going to be a tough night.’”
“I don’t have any regrets on it. I love a challenge. It motivated me to get better,” Paul said.
“The experience of being in the ring with someone that good and someone that big — I think moving forward, the next people I fight, it’s going to be a little bit easier, actually. It was good experience.”
Paul entered the Joshua fight as a significant underdog. Joshua weighed in around 60-70 pounds heavier, a fact Trump brought up during their conversation:
“If somebody’s even four pounds heavier, it’s a different weight class. And it’s hard to beat somebody that’s even a little bit heavier.”
Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) has stated his intention to return to boxing at cruiserweight later in 2026. He told Trump his jaw is still healing and that he won’t be back in the ring until later this year.
President Donald Trump recently endorsed YouTuber-turned boxer Jake Paul as a legitimate professional boxer during a sit-down interview— and then turned around and suggested Khabib Nurmagomedov as his next opponent.
Trump said he went in skeptical that a non-professional boxer could hang with elite competition, but Paul’s run changed his mind.
“I said it’s not possible for a civilian to beat a professional boxer,” Trump said. “You were beating UFC guys who weren’t retired that long. I just didn’t think it was possible. And then I realized — you really are the real deal.”
When the conversation shifted to who he’d want to see Paul fight next, Trump didn’t hesitate.
“I probably [want to see you fight] Khabib,” Trump said. “How about Khabib? I think he’s been just great.”
‘The Problem Child’ came up with an immediate response:
“I’m down.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from MMA in 2020 with a 29-0 record and has since become one of the most recognizable names in combat sports.
While he has been linked to various crossover boxing discussions over the years, he has never formally competed in the sport.
Jake Paul vs. Logan Paul: “It’s Hard to Smash Your Brother”
Trump also pressed Paul on one of the most-requested matchups in boxing: a fight between Jake and his brother, Logan Paul.
Jake didn’t back down from declaring himself the better boxer — but acknowledged the complications that come with the territory.
“I am [the better boxer], sir. I am. Sorry — he knows that, too,” Jake said. “But he’s a better WWE wrestler. I think they need to make him the champion one day.”
Trump quickly endorsed the idea: “He’s my favorite.”
Jake was equally clear on why a Paul vs. Paul fight is unlikely to happen soon:
“If we fought, I think he knows what would happen. I love you, Logan. But it’s hard to smash your brother.”
Logan Paul is currently under contract with WWE, where he has established himself as one of the promotion’s most marketable performers. Jake, meanwhile, is focused on returning to boxing at cruiserweight after recovering from the jaw injury he sustained against Anthony Joshua in December last year.
