Francis Ngannou could make his return to the boxing ring in 2025
The MMA icon turned heads in his boxing debut last year. This was when he dropped Tyson Fury in a controversial split-decision loss to the heavyweight champion. This impressive showing led to a showdown with Anthony Joshua. However, Ngannou suffered a devasting second-round knockout against the seasoned boxer.
After this defeat, Ngannou appeared to step away from boxing, returning to MMA to claim the inaugural PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship with a swift knockout over Renan Ferreira in October.
Francis Ngannou’s Next Move: Potential Fights with Deontay Wilder or Jon Jones in the Works
Francis Ngannou’s next move in the PFL remains uncertain, with a few viable opponents besides $1 million heavyweight tournament winner Denis Goltsov.
Meanwhile, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alashikh has hinted at a potential boxing match for Ngannou against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder. However, Alalshikh wants to ensure Wilder is ready after back-to-back defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. Speaking to DAZN on Tuesday Alalshikh stated;
“I need to sit with Wilder for two minutes to assess his condition,”
“If he’s ready, we proceed; if not, I won’t waste time or money.”
Francis Ngannou is expected to meet with Alalshikh in December during the Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch, with discussions planned for both MMA and boxing opportunities.
Alashikh has also expressed interest in a cross-promotion fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones but acknowledged the challenge of securing UFC CEO Dana White’s approval.
“We always aim for the biggest fights,” he said, joking, “We might need to send Dana White to the moon.”
Michael Bisping Doubts Ngannou vs. Jones Fight
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping doubts a fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones will ever materialise, citing the UFC’s reluctance to cross-promote with a major competitor.
In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, the former middleweight champion and MMA commentator went and explained why he believes the matchup is unlikely.
“I don’t think it’s gonna happen,”
“Money talks, and maybe a massive offer from Saudi Arabia could change things, but from a business standpoint, it doesn’t make sense for the UFC.”
He continued by saying;
“If I had built the UFC over 30 years, making it the foundation of this sport, why would I elevate the PFL by putting them on the same level? The PFL gains everything from this fight.”
While acknowledging fan’s excitement for such a high-profile bout, Michael Bisping argued that the UFC has no incentive.
“We all want to see the best fight the best, but if I were the UFC, I’d say, ‘No chance. We offered Ngannou a lot, and he walked away. It’s a shame, but no cross-promotion right now.’”
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
