Amidst Talks of Boxing Match With Deontay Wilder, PFL Chairman Gives Timeline for MMA Return of Francis Ngannou

This past weekend, Francis Ngannou went toe-to-toe against the greatest heavyweight of his generation. While he lost the fight on the scorecards, his value as a fighter rose significantly. Following the win, the options are now limitless for Francis Ngannou on his next move. Talking about the same, in a recent talk with MMAFighting, PFL founder Donn Davis provided a timeline for Ngannou’s return to MMA.

During the interview, Ariel Helwani asked Donn Davis if Ngannou would fight in MMA next. In response to that, Davis said,

“No idea, Francis is making plans. I heard him on your show saying he has made decisions in the next two weeks. We know what he is working on and I think there is a path that could go one of two ways.”

Davis continued:

“There is only one guy right now who is interesting for Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones. Everybody says what about Stipe? Maybe we can give him half a point. So 1.5 guys who are compelling… So will he fight in MMA in 2024? Yes he will. Will that be his next fight? I don’t know.”

Given that Donn Davis has confirmed the next fight for Francis Ngannou might not be in MMA, there is a very strong chance he will box again. If that is the case, who will be the perfect opponent for ‘The Predator’?

Could Francis Ngannou vs Deontay Wilder in MMA be a reality?

Following his performance against Fury, there were several names thrown at Ngannou to face next. One such name is that of Deontay Wilder, one of the most devastating heavyweight knockout artists of all time.

Ngannou joined Ariel Helwani for an interview where he revealed that there are extremely serious talks going on with Wilder for an MMA fight. ‘The Predator’ revealed that Wilder had been training in MMA and the fight is a real possibility. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MMA Fighting (@mmafighting)

Unfortunately, at this point in time, there are no concrete reports that suggest that the two men will face each other in an MMA octagon any time soon. If the fight were to take place, it would most definitely be under the PFL organization.

However, if all things are considered, a boxing fight between Ngannou and Wilder would be the most exciting outcome for fans. Wilder and Ngannou are two of the most devastating knockout artists in their respective sports. 

A fight between them would definitely draw the attention of the world and be a mega fight. While many boxers have talked about having an MMA fight, none have actually done it. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if it is all talk or if an MMA fight between Wilder and Ngannou actually takes place.