Ngannou Wants More Boxing, Eyes Usyk And Wilder
Francis Ngannou wants all the smoke in the boxing world after entering boxing last year.
Ngannou signed his PFL deal after leaving the UFC last year and had two boxing bouts. He took on Tyson Fury last October on his debut. He put up an impressive performance. He sent Fury to the canvas in the third round with a sweeping left hook. He continued to walk forward, taking shots, as he lost a split decision. The result raised many eyebrows, with some claiming that Ngannou should have gotten the decision.
However, it was not all bad news. Ngannou secured a top-ten ranking within the WBC. That earned him the Anthony Joshua fight, as the Fury and AJ earnings were more than his entire UFC earnings. However, the Joshua performance was far less impressive. Ngannou suffered a second-round KO loss, ending the momentum he had gained. And yet, Ngannou still has plans for more boxing bouts.
Ngannou’s Aims
He has spoken about his aim of fighting Deontay Wilder. The pair were linked with a two-fight deal. One would be in boxing, while the other would be in MMA. Wilder has lost his last two boxing bouts against Joseph Parker and Zhilea Zhang, ending hopes of a title shot. At 38, Wilder does not have too many fights left. But an Ngannou fight does offer him a big purse in a mega event.
"Absolutely. I would love that fight. Pure boxing, don’t be delusional here. That’s where we both stand a chance, but if we go MMA only one man stands a chance. It’s a fight that I want, I always wanted that fight. At some point we had a discussion that didn’t go too far, but we wanted to make this fight happen
"And even more boxers, [Oleksandr Usyk?] Why not [fight] everyone? I have the Fury rematch then Deontay Wilder on the wish list. [Martin Bakole?] Not really. That is the fight I would choose as the last option because I see him more like a brother. I’d fight anyone else beside him, plus he’s dangerous," Ngannou said
Ngannou’s PFL Debut
Before that can happen, Ngannou must overcome Renan Ferreira in his next fight. Ngannou makes his PFL debut on October 19. It is the first MMA fight he has had since 2022, when he beat Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Ferreira is seen as the biggest test possible. He is the current PFL Heavyweight Champion from last year.
He also defeated Ryan Bader on the PFL vs. Bellator Champs card. There is still speculation over a possible Jon Jones fight. There are suggestions that the rise of the Saudis in combat sports means it is not out of the equation. Ngannou’s boxing career may depend on what options he has in MMA. Outside of Jones, Ferreria is the only viable option at the moment. Tom Aspinall has been seen as the other leading heavyweight by PFL’s Tom Hardy.
"We’re potentially going to find out who the best heavyweight is on the planet. There’s a lot of conversation on the other side around Tom Aspinall, Jon Jones, Miocic, etc. Right now for me, Tom Aspinall is head & shoulders above Jon Jones and Stipe just based on his activity. But, then you compare Tom Aspinall to Ngannou and Ferreira and that might be the fight to determine who the best heavyweight is on the planet, the winner of the Ngannou-Ferreira fight and then Tom Aspinall. It’s exciting," Hardy stated
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