Jack Paul targets boxing return in 2026 at cruiserweight or against Francis Ngannou

Paul had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed during surgery after the Joshua fight in which he suffered the second defeat of his career.

Bidarian said Paul recently returned to the gym.

“I saw a picture of him yesterday in the gym with his boxing coach. So take that for what you will,” Bidarian said.

“I know he wants to come back in 2026.”

Bidarian added that the winner of Nate Diaz’s fight with Mike Perry on the Rousey-Carano undercard would be a “great MMA match-up” for Paul in the future.

Paul defeated American former UFC star Diaz in a boxing bout in 2023, but both fighters have called for a rematch in MMA.

Paul also has a boxing win over Perry in 2024.

“I know Jake talked to Nate a little bit, and Nate obviously mentioned it, but there’s no guarantee that Nate will beat Mike Perry,” Bidarian said.

“I think the winner of that fight is a great MMA matchup for Jake Paul, if he wants to do MMA, which he’s always said he does.

“I think he’s going to need a combined six to eight months of MMA training. He obviously has a wrestling background.

“That’s what he was doing in high school. And he didn’t do a lot of jiu-jitsu, so it was going to be something that had to be learned quickly.”