Former heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder believes an announcement regarding a fight with Francis Ngannou is likely soon.
Francis Ngannou, formerly the UFC champion, has had varied experiences since leaving the UFC in 2023. Following contract disagreements with Dana White and UFC management, Ngannou was released and pursued boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Deontay Wilder Hints at Upcoming Francis Ngannou Fight Booking
As speculation around a Ngannou vs. Wilder fight continues, Wilder has made comments suggesting a potential bout with the former UFC star. He hinted at a second fight being scheduled for December, following his match with Tyrrell Herndon on June 27th in Wichita, Kansas.
In a recent interview on the ARIEL X ADE show, Wilder responded to a question about whether a Ngannou fight could happen later in 2025, saying:
“Me and Francis, that fight still comes up. It has been discussed again recently. We are working out the details for a fight between us. I’m definitely interested, and he is too. It’s really just a matter of timing.”
“It looks like it will happen, it’s just about finalizing the details. I’m looking forward to it, so stay tuned.”
Wilder is currently focused on his upcoming fight against Herndon in June, as he aims to return to winning form. Wilder has lost four of his last five fights, including a knockout defeat to Zhilei Zhang in his most recent fight last summer.
PFL Offered Jon Jones $50 Million for a Francis Ngannou Cross-Promotion Fight
Ngannou’s planned return to boxing follows an offer from PFL founder Donn Davis to Jon Jones of $50 million to fight Ngannou in the PFL SmartCage. Jones is currently in negotiations to fight Tom Aspinall later this year to unify the UFC heavyweight titles.
A potential fight between Jones and Ngannou was initially discussed after Ngannou won the UFC heavyweight title in 2021 by defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. However, an agreement could not be reached, and White has blamed Ngannou for the fight not happening.
Both Jones and Ngannou remain interested in a super heavyweight showdown. However, given the strained relationship between White and Ngannou, it is unlikely to occur unless Jones leaves the UFC.
