Francis Ngannou has really taken to boxing since his departure from the UFC, and it looks like “The Predator” is ready to make his next move. After securing a heavyweight championship in the PFL, Ngannou has now set his sights on a return to pugilism and even has a contender in mind- Deontay Wilder.
Ngannou‘s last boxing match didn’t go as planned. He faced Anthony Joshua in March 2024 and was knocked out in the second round. After the fight, he complained about not feeling like himself during the match. He recalled being knocked down in the first round by a punch that didn’t seem strong enough to cause a fall, leading him to feel disoriented. He also mentioned that arriving at the arena earlier than Joshua might have affected his performance.
So, now as he wants to return to pugilism, he wants to take on one of its hardest hitters in Wilder and prove a point. For the Cameroonian, it’s a bit about ego, driven by his immense power. But how will it compare against Wilder? Predicting a KO for someone, Ngannou says,
“(I’m passionate about fighting Deontay Wilder) because there’s an 80% chance that somebody will go to sleep. It will be one or the other deep inside me there is a little bit of ego, like I know I hit harder.”
Both fighters have built their careers on their ability to end bouts with a single, thunderous punch. However, Wilder, now 39, has faced a series of setbacks, including losses to Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, and a knockout by Zhilei Zhang. Earlier this year, it was even reported that Wilder had called it a day and was done with the sport.
However, there’s no reason why a huge paycheque, which is guaranteed with Ngannou fights couldn’t convince him to step up, just one more time.
That said, in the case that a bout with Wilder doesn’t materialize, Ngannou remains open to other opportunities, eager to continue his journey as a pugilist.
Ngannnou hopes for Fury rematch
When Ngannou made his pro boxing debut against Tyson Fury on October 28, 2023, almost nobody gave him a shot. Fury was undefeated, the heavyweight king, and Ngannou was just the MMA guy trying his hand at boxing.
But then, in the third round, Ngannou shocked the world—dropping Fury with a left hook and going the full 10 rounds in a fight that was way closer than anyone expected.
Fury a fait du Fury. Imbattable sur la durée. Répétition de Djab.
Oui le KnockOut était spectaculaire mais Fury mérite sa victoire.
Bravo à Ngannou d’avoir fait 10 rounds contre une légende vivante de la boxe.#furyvsngannou pic.twitter.com/skS1vJnJd0
— Philby (@Kimphilbyspy) October 28, 2023
A lot of fans thought he had done enough to win, but the judges gave Fury the split-decision victory. However, even in defeat, Ngannou earned massive respect from the boxing world. That performance landed him a title fight with Anthony Joshua on March 8, 2024
But even though it didn’t work out, Joshua was gracious enough to ask Ngannou not to give up on the sport. Speaking to reporters, he had said,
“When I saw the fight with Tyson Fury, I thought I want some of that. (Ngannou) is a great champion and this doesn’t take anything away from his capabilities. I told him not to leave boxing. He’s two fights in and he fought the best.”
Ngannou has obviously taken it to heart and now hopes to get the first win of his professional boxing career. And who better to do it against than Fury? Speaking further about this rematch, he adds,
“I don’t know if I’ll get a rematch with Fury, but I hope so. I never expected to win by decision.”
It should be noted that since he lost to Usyk in their rematch last year, Fury has also announced his retirement. However, considering that he’s called it quits a few times before, it should be taken with a grain of salt. But even if that is not the case this time, Ngannou is happy to consider fighting Rico Verhoeven, Derek Chisora, and even Wladimir Klitschko if the opportunity comes up.
