Francis Ngannou’s future: Back to MMA or trade blows with Deontay Wilder?
Find out the various options present to Francis Ngannou after a brutal defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua.
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Francis Ngannou has future options in MMA and Boxing (via Imago/X)
The highly anticipated bout between Anthony Joshua and MMA superstar Francis Ngannou finally happened. Both fighters are known for their punching power, and the fight surpassed expectations. The fight ended quite swiftly compared to what fans had anticipated. The aftermath brings combat sports to ponder the future of Francis Ngannou. Is Deontay Wilder next for him?
During the buildup to the fight, many believed Ngannou had an incredible chin and durability. This notion existed because of his illustrious MMA career and professional boxing debut. In addition, Ngannou broke everyone’s expectations during his debut against undefeated WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Ngannou knocked Fury down and arguably won the fight despite losing on the scorecard.
At the time, the future of Francis Ngannou in boxing looked promising. His performance made people believe Ngannou had a better chance to defeat Joshua. This was mainly due to Joshua gaining the reputation of having a glass chin after his first KO loss against Andy Ruiz. However, Anthony Joshua broke all expectations by knocking down Ngannou twice, knocking him out cold in the second round.
AJ showed Ngannou a different level than what he experienced during the fight against Fury. The devastating loss will put Ngannou’s future boxing plan on halt. Uncertainty exists in the combat sports world. Find out the various possibilities of what Francis Ngannou’s future might hold.
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou main event fight recap
Both fighters stayed on their toes and maintained their distance with their jabs across the first two minutes of the fight. Subsequently, Joshua swept in and landed a solid right hand, which knocked Ngannou down to the canvas. ‘The Predator’ recovered and returned to his feet to continue the fight. In addition, Ngannou tried to maintain a distance between him and Joshua until the first round ended.
Joshua did not rush in for the kill even after knocking down Ngannou in the first round. Joshua appeared calm and focused. After about 50 seconds of the second round, Joshua landed a right straight and left hook combo. As such, Ngannou was again knocked down to the canvas. This time, he appeared disorganized and hurt. However, Ngannou beat the referee’s count yet again and returned to the center of the ring.
Even though Ngannou managed to get up, he was clearly hurt after his first two knockdowns. Furthermore, once Joshua was within range of Ngannou, he knocked out the former UFC champion with a straight right. The knockout was a sight to behold since Ngannou has never faced a knockout loss in his career.
As such, Ngannou was not moving, and the medical team rushed into the ring to inspect his condition. It was a shocking and devastating KO. The crowd breathed a sigh of relief once Ngannou regained consciousness. The result of the fight has led many fans to think about Francis Ngannou’s future in combat sports.
What the future holds for Francis Ngannou in combat sports?
Ngannou initially achieved stardom through his illustrious career in the UFC. He possessed tremendous knockout power and had a decent record in MMA. However, Ngannou left the promotion even though he was the heavyweight division champion. As such, Ngannou stated that he left due to a lower salary and no freedom to enter boxing bouts. Subsequently, Ngannou later signed a deal with the PFL, which met his demands.
Unlike his contract with the UFC, Ngannou’s contract with the PFL allowed him to pursue both boxing and MMA fights. Hence, he has the option to choose whatever he wants for the next fight. Saudi Arabia could offer him at least seven figures for his next boxing fight with a lower-level opponent. A fight against Derek Chisora, Andy Ruiz Jr., Joe Joyce, or Daniel Dubois could prove valuable to Ngannou.
An estimate of his boxing skills remains unknown. ‘The Predator’ did very well against Fury but stumbled against Joshua. However, a fight with either Chisora, Ruiz, Joyce, or Dubois would help him and the fans understand if he could hang with other heavyweight contenders. If not, Francis Ngannou could also return to MMA and fight Renan Ferreira.
Potential fight between Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder
If Ngannou wants to test himself against the higher level of competition, there is one man who could use a dance partner. Similar to the MMA knockout artist, this opponent also had a devastating loss in his last fight. He is none other than former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Fury, Joshua, and Wilder were considered the best heavyweight fighters of the 2010s. However, Joseph Parker outclassed Wilder in the Day of Reckoning PPV event in Saudi Arabia. Hence, a fight between Ngannou and Wilder could potentially happen next. Both fighters want to bounce back from humiliating losses and could face each other.
The Predator could bag another huge payday if he fights Wilder. The fight between the two power punchers remains a dream fight for many combat sports fans. It will all depend on what Wilder and Ngannou want to do next. However, an MMA return feels more likely at this point due to the knockout loss and earlier commitment to debut for PFL in 2024.
Francis Ngannou’s potential return to MMA
Renan Ferreira defeated Ryan Bader at the PFL vs. Bellator card in February 2024. As such, Ferreira would welcome the former UFC champion to the PFL in a super fight. Following a devastating knockout loss, this could be the plan. However, Ngannou refused to comment about his future following his loss to Joshua.
It is worth noting that Ngannou has always regretted not fighting Jon Jones during his time in the UFC. As such, Ngannou has stated that he was still open to making that fight happen. Despite the fans wanting this dream MMA fight, the UFC refuses to co-promote. As such, Ngannou’s future fight will likely feature a return to MMA, a super fight against Deontay Wilder, or a fight against a mid-level heavyweight. Only time will tell what Ngannou chooses for his next fight.
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Abhijay Roy
(551 Articles Published)