Overview
- Speaking with President Donald Trump, Paul ruled out an Anthony Joshua rematch and said he intends to fight at his natural weight or try MMA.
- He named Oleksandr Usyk, Francis Ngannou, Ryan Garcia and Tommy Fury as possibilities, noting interest in facing Usyk only in MMA.
- Trump said he would like to see Paul fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, though that bout appears unlikely because Nurmagomedov retired in 2020.
- Paul has not fought since his December knockout loss to Joshua that fractured his jaw and required surgeries, and no return date has been confirmed, with some reports projecting a late-2026 or 2027 timeline.
- Several targets have competing plans, with Usyk focused on a boxing schedule that includes a May bout in Egypt, while Ngannou is working with Paul’s MVP and is slated to face Philipe Lins on the Rousey–Carano Netflix card.