Francis Ngannou reveals plan to fight Deontay Wilder in next boxing match

Francis Ngannou has said he is “setting up” a fight with Deontay Wilder, as the mixed martial arts star aims to return to boxing.

Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has boxed twice professionally, losing a controversial decision to Tyson Fury in 2023 and suffering a knockout by Anthony Joshua in 2024.

Ngannou, 38, dropped and at times outboxed Fury in their fight, but he was denied the WBC heavyweight title when the scorecards were revealed. Against Joshua, the Cameroonian was knocked down three times en route to a second-round stoppage loss.

However, Ngannou bounced back when he returned to his first sport, MMA, stopping Renan Ferreira in the first round in October to win the PFL Super Fight heavyweight title.

That bout was Ngannou’s first in MMA since January 2022, when he outpointed Ciryl Gane to retain the UFC heavyweight title, which he vacated when he left the UFC in early 2023.

Next, however, Ngannou wishes to return to boxing, and he is eyeing a clash with former heavyweight champion Wilder.

“Yes, I [am pursuing it],” Ngannou said on the Ariel Helwani Show. “We haven’t engaged personally, but it’s gonna be soon.

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“We’re setting some things up, but I keep training. I’m training.

“I would say [it’s my preferred fight in boxing and MMA]; since the Jon Jones fight is off, it cannot be part of it.”

Ngannou was referring to UFC legend Jones, who recently vacated the heavyweight title – which he won after Ngannou’s UFC exit – and retired from MMA.

Ngannou had expressed a desire to face Jones in a crossover bout, which the PFL seemed keen to facilitate for him. The UFC seemed less keen, however.

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“All you have to know is that we are good,” Ngannou said about his relationship with the PFL, with whom he has one fight left on his contract.

Wilder, 39, last fought in June, stopping Tyrell Anthony Herndon in seven rounds. The win was the American’s first since he knocked out Robert Helenius in 2022.

Before beating Herndon, Wilder’s last fight was a knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang in 2024, which followed a points defeat by Joseph Parker in 2023.