Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder in MMA is a Future Possibility?
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia(October 3oth, 2023)– Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder is a fight many fight fans have dreamed about, and it seems that there is some interest in making it happen. However, not in boxing.
Ngannou said Monday there have been talks of a potential fight against Wilder, but in an MMA cage. Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion and one of the most popular names in boxing, has shown interest in fighting in MMA, according to Ngannou in the video below.
“That has been in the discussion,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani on Monday. “That’s something that can potentially happen. Deontay Wilder for a couple of months, or a little while, has been training MMA because there’s an option here. Nothing is set, but some things have been coming to my attention, so that’s something that makes sense.
“He’s really serious about MMA. A lot of people talk – ‘I’m going to do this in boxing and do that in MMA’ – but Deontay Wilder is very interested in MMA, and even just to step in the (cage) for MMA and MMA only. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be a different beast for him.”
Ngannou left the UFC earlier this year while still being the UFC heavyweight champion in a gutsy move to become a free agent. He signed with the PFL, which will allow him outside ventures besides just MMA. Saturday, he lost his highly competitive boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury by split decision in Saudi Arabia which most considered a robbery. Francis is expected to make his PFL MMA debut in 2024.
Deontay Wilder has never fought in MMA and it is a hard transition for anyone who does not possess a grappling background. In his most recent boxing match, Wilder knocked out Robert Helenius in just one round in October of 2022. Prior to that, he had back-to-back losses to Tyson Fury in championship fights.
FRANCIS NGANNOU FULL INTERVIEW WITH ARIEL
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